I Wish You Would Look at Me
by TayMor
Summary: He sees her at every stage show. No matter how crowded it is, he always finds her with his eyes. But she isn't looking at him, and Sasuke desperately needs her to. When will she look at him?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:- Read and Review! I hope you guys like this story! Currently it is a one-shot, but if you want a second chapter, please let me know!**

Sweat drained down the sides of Sasuke's cheeks and neck, but it only added to the hype and the rush that came from performing. The lights overhead were blinding and hot, but they only added to the thrill; complementing the effect of the crowd screaming his name. The pulsing vibe of the crowd at his feet made his blood pump; made him feel more alive than any other aspect of his life did, and he loved it! He gripped the microphone, barely hearing the chains on his wristband and rings jingle as he pulled it closer to his lips. His eyes scanned the crowd, searching for _her_ before he began to sing.

_When I see your face_

_I feel a thunderstorm_

The crowd erupted at the words of the song, singing along with him for the rest of the chorus.

_You feel like life to me_

_But it's so damn dangerous_

Sasuke was thankful that this was Team 7's fifth song for the night, and that the crowd was screaming so damn loud, because his voice suddenly failed him. She was _here_! Why did she have to make her appearance now? Now that it was time for him to leave centre stage. His blonde band-mate stepped forward, playing the opening notes to the famous bass solo of Team 7's _Thunderstorm_.

Sasuke felt his insides squeeze uncomfortably as her face lit up as soon as Naruto stepped forward. Under the suddenly too harsh strobe lights, Naruto seemed to shine out more than he did. The sweat on Naruto's face caused by the suddenly unbearable heat of the stage seemed to drip that much more dramatically than Sasuke's had, and the bassist's charisma was like another member of the band altogether. The crowd went wild as Naruto's experienced fingers ripped through the complicated series of notes of _Thunderstorm_'s bass solo. The sheer perfection of Naruto's execution would make the fans scream and would make it into this week's newspapers and music magazines… but Sasuke hated him for it, because the pretty blue haired chick with the grey eyes he could see from here and the curves in all the right places had eyes only for Naruto.

Not soon enough, Sakura was slamming at the drums like a maniac, signaling the beginning of the next verse. Sasuke moved to the front again and reached for the microphone again. _'Stay and listen… please stay,'_ Sasuke moaned inwardly, but by the time he brought the microphone to his lips, she had faded into the crowd. He scanned the crowd for her while he sung the words of the second verse, the faces of the fans melding together under the flashing, crazy, dizzying lights and bursts of flame. When he finally saw her again, she was leaving the crowded club from the side exit.

_I hate you for makin' me love you_

_Thunderstorm_

The footsteps of Team 7 echoed as they made their way out to the back exit of the venue for their latest stage show. Sakura was pissed at Sasuke for being surly for the entire interview he had just had to sit through, and Naruto was still pumped, still happy, still fucking annoying. Sasuke tried to convince himself that he generally found Naruto this annoying and that it had nothing to do with how _she_ had been looking only at him, but the mere fact that he had to try to convince himself meant that there was no way that was true.

The relative quiet of the hallway gave way to almost deafening noise the closer Sasuke got to the press blockade. Paparazzi bombarded him with questions, cameras flashed and the crowds yelled… it was pandemonium… and _she_ wasn't anywhere to be found in the crowd. Sasuke glared at the cameras, not bothering to hide his face behind his hands, and pushed through to the safety of the stretch limo that was supposed to take them to the next stop – Club Hokage. Sasuke had been anxious to get past the teeming paparazzi, and had left Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi behind as a result. He sat in the limo, uncomfortable, pissed off and steaming in his jealousy. If tonight was the first time the pretty fan had eluded him, he would think it was his imagination, but she had appeared at their performances every time for the last ten shows, and she always only had eyes for Naruto. Was it just because she wasn't one of the masses of _his_ fans that he wanted her to see him?

The limo door opened and Naruto and Sakura clambered into the vehicle. Kakashi entered soon after that, his spiky silver hair brushing the top of the opening for the door.

"Ugh in here is too empty… we need some girls up in here," the band leader said, grinning rakishly. Sakura rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through her pink hair.

"Make sure you get some guys too. Last time I checked, I was straight," she mumbled, fiddling with her lip ring.

"So… does that mean that maybe you could possibly have gone bi since that time?" Kakashi asked with an unmistakable twinge of hopefulness in his voice. Sakura slapped him on the head.

"Not a chance, you pervert!" Sakura growled, even though she was smiling.

"You know what they say about rock stars and money, sex and drugs," Kakashi mumbled, reaching for the skylight hatch on the roof of the limo.

"Well, we have money and sex… but we don't use drugs in Team 7… that I know of," Naruto quipped lazily from where he lay sprawled in the corner of the limo. He was staring intently at Sasuke while saying that.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke said, just as Kakashi opened the skylight.

"First six girls to get to the door drive with us to the club!" He ducked his head back inside and looked to Sakura. "How many dudes do you want?" Sakura looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"I want to choose which guys come with us. I'm not as easy as you, y'know," she said, grinning at Kakashi who shrugged and stuck his head back through the skylight. Already about sixty girls were at the sides of the limo, struggling to reach his hand and fighting to get to the door.

"Aright you there in the pink top… oh, hello…. You with the blue hair… get off the car, you blonde freak and give the dame with the big green eyes some space… c'mon over here kitten… uh huh… and you too in the black jacket… step on up… yeah you too with the Team 7 tattoo… that's just hot… alright, you too in the pink shorts. All the rest of you, back the hell up!" Kakashi was yelling from the top of the limo. The side door opened and the 'lucky ladies' clambered into the car, giggling.

"Alright, my turn," Sakura said, pushing Kakashi out of the way. It was the guys' turn to scream as Sakura's torso appeared through the skylight, and catcalls and cheers rang out from the male fans. "Oh hells yeah!" Sakura screamed, giving them the rock horns. Sasuke rolled his eyes and moved to a corner seat in the back of the limo. Already the girls were eyeing him hungrily, but he didn't want any of them. Still, he had a duty to his band to at least attempt to lead them on so that the image of the band wouldn't suffer, so he smiled and pretended to be interested.

There was one girl next to Naruto that seemed content where she was, but Sakura's legs were blocking her from his view.

"You there, you wanna come with us? We have space for three of you! Yeah, bring your two friends, hotshot!" Sakura was yelling at some random guy in the crowd who must have thought tonight was his lucky night. Pretty soon, the doors were opening again and three guys with aesthetically pleasing faces and attire clambered into the car, issuing greetings as they came in. When Sakura sat down, Sasuke's heart stopped. _She was here in the car!_ This night would be torture, unless he could get her to look his way some time tonight. He would. She was looking only at Naruto now, but she would look his way soon enough.

"The performance of _Thunderstorm_ was perfect tonight, guys," one of the girls said, grinning widely.

"I know, right?" the male fan with the bright blue hair chimed in. "When the drums kicked in at the opening to the second verse… I swear I had an eargasm!" The band members chuckled and Sasuke gave a small smile… it was all he could manage. Then _she_ spoke.

"I think the bass solo was the best part. There was not even the tiniest mistake, Naruto-kun," she said in a quiet but incredibly sexy, whispery voice. The others chimed in that of course the bass solo was epic and perfect and Sasuke could feel his already tiny smile slipping.

"Aa… and _you're_ perfect, ne. What is your name eh?" Naruto returned, grinning at her in that affable, pleasant way that made half of Team 7's female fan-base go crazy and gooey.

"Hinata," she fairly whispered, her blush visible even in the dim lighting of the limo. The males, apart from Sasuke, obviously, all commented on how cute she was, etc, as if seeing her wasn't already bad enough for Sasuke.

"I know, I know! Sasuke-kun should totally sing_ Thunderstorm _and we can all sing along and beatbox!" one of the cutest of the six girls said, while looping her arm through Sasuke's. On a normal night, the feel of her curves pressing up against him would have resulted in a … well, a _reaction_ but tonight was far from normal. If it was the blue haired princess next to Naruto, with that perfect rack and the sexy voice, then maybe… reminding himself of her reminded him that it was Naruto she was next to, and all thoughts of a reaction went down the drain. Maybe he might as well sing so they wouldn't notice his foul mood.

"Alright," Naruto crowed. "Start us up!" Sakura and some of the male fans began beat-boxing the opening drumming for the song.

Maybe this was a good idea. Maybe if he sang, Hinata would look at him. Maybe she would forget Naruto.

_When I see your face_

She was looking at Naruto's face.

_I feel a thunderstorm_

Naruto slung his arm over Hinata's shoulders and she blushed and focused on a spot on his chest. Sasuke's voice rang out in the relative quiet of the limo. The city lights were whizzing past on the outside.

_You feel like life to me_

Naruto chipped in with the vocal version of the bass line, and two of the three male fans joined him. The girls were rocking from side to side.

_But it's so dangerous_

Sasuke paused as the 'drums' rolled and Kakashi's 'guitar' wailed. Naruto filled in with the opening notes of the bass solo.

_It's so fucking daann-ger-ouusss!_

Sasuke screamed even though he was relaxing, because he was that good. The girls all seemed to be getting ready for the second verse, rocking side to side and keeping timing with the bass solo Naruto was pretending to play.

_I just wish you would look at me – yeah_

_I just feel to self destruct!_

Hinata was looking at Naruto. She hadn't looked at Sasuke once… And Sasuke was burning. Burning with jealousy.

_And I HATE you for makin' me love you_

_Thunderstorm_

_And I HATE you for makin' me love you_

_Thunderstorm_

The girls chimed in with him for that, but they didn't know he was singing it to one of them. To the hime with the dark blue hair and the eyes only for his band-mate. He finished by himself to the closing vocal instrumental that the fans and his band-mates were singing.

_I just wish you would look at me…_

**A/N:- So, that's it! Let me know what you think! Please review! This is the first time I have written anything where Sasuke is the main person, so I need feedback! (^_^) Peece!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I had only meant to create one chapter for this story, but it seems people wanted more, so here goes!**

* * *

_"Sasuke-kun… Sasuke-kun…the way you sing that song makes my heart race." Sasuke looks up slowly to see her in the crowd. The music is playing around him and he can hear the words he is supposed to sing, even though everything feels a bit distant. The fans are yelling and screaming, but Sasuke can't hear them; he can only hear Hinata. He can only see Hinata. All the other faces are generic and blurred. "Sing for me, Sasuke-kun," she says in that whispery voice… that voice that makes his skin tingle… and Sasuke reaches for the microphone… he has it in hand… it's at his mouth now… but no sound comes out and Hinata turns… turns away from him, and he can't move. _

_"Look at me," Sasuke begs, his voice breaking. "Look at me!"_

"HINATAAA!"

Sasuke woke up to the sound of the feral scream, his heart racing and cold sweat on his forehead and chest. He looked frantically about his room, searching… searching for something, anything to convince himself that it was him that had screamed Hinata's name so wildly, regardless of how stupid it made him feel… because if that had been Naruto… Sasuke rubbed a hand across the sudden tightening of his chest that that thought brought. If that had been Naruto…

Sasuke's eyes and brain finally began moving as one, and he sighed in relief when he recognized the room he was in as his private bedroom. Not the one in the apartment Team 7 sometimes shared, but the one on the Uchiha compound. It was definitely not Naruto that had screamed Hinata's name, nor was it any one of Team 7's other members either. Sasuke sat up in bed, his mind scrambling to piece the fragments of the dream together, and suddenly, he was desperately scrambling for his notepad and pen.

_'What were the words to that song? What was that song? Team 7 has never played that song before!' _Sasuke thought as he sent papers and cigarette boxes flying off his bedside table as he tried to find the damn notepad. It was dark and he was searching with only the light from the moon that came through his window, but he didn't have the time to turn on the room light. He had to write down what he remembered, and fast. His memory of the words in his head seemed to be leeching away with every second and as pathetic as it made him feel, Sasuke was desperate. He finally found a blank sheet of paper and decided it would have to do.

_Do you feel what I feel?_

The line after this one was all a blur of dream-world music so Sasuke put some dots and continued to the next line.

_I want to know what you're thinking of_

_But I can't get through to you_

The next couple lines were evading his grasp. He could almost feel them; almost hear them, but not quite. He could only remember the rhythm of the chorus but none of the words were coming to mind. He crushed the paper in his fist and tossed it towards the wastepaper basket. It missed. By far.

"Blast it all," Sasuke spat in utter frustration, swiping his hand across his face. "Blast it all to hell," he moaned. His heart was still racing. His body was still sweating. He wanted to be done with it. Or maybe he wanted to go back to sleep, because maybe then he would dream the dream again, and remember the song, and then maybe she would look at him. Maybe she would see him. But Sasuke knew there was no way he could fall asleep now. Not with his heart racing the way it was, or with his mind whirring like it was, or with that crushing desperation to finish that song.

Sasuke turned on his room light and picked up his notepad from where he had pushed it to the floor earlier. He had to make this song. _He had to._

_Do you feel what I feel?_

_Do you dream about me too?_

_I want to know what you're thinking of_

_But I can't get through to you_

_Oh princess,_

_Do you hear what I hear?_

_Do you ache for my voice too?_

_I want to know what you think of me_

_But I can't get through to you_

Again Sasuke could feel the chorus but the words wouldn't come to mind. He needed those words! He could hear Hinata's voice in his head, replaying what she said in his dream over and over until he was going crazy.

_"Sing for me, Sasuke-kun. Sing for me, Sasuke-kun. Sing for me, Sasuke-kun. Sing for me, Sasuke-kun. Sing for me, Sasuke-kun. Sing for me, Sasuke-kun. Sing for me, Sasuke-kun. Sing for me, Sasuke-kun…"_

"Alright! Alright, I'll make the song… just… just let me think," Sasuke moaned, gripping his head with both hands. Her voice in his head made him feel more incomplete than when his parents had walked out on him; more incomplete than when his throat had gotten infected and he couldn't sing; more incomplete than when… "Please stop talking in my head… Please…" He gripped the pen and moved on to the second verse, because the chorus was evading him and he couldn't bear for Hinata's voice to start up in his head again. The pen shook in his hand.

_Will you go where I go?_

_Would you follow me around?_

_I would go to the ends of the earth for you_

_But my hands and feet are bound_

_Oh princess,_

Sasuke's pen stopped there… it wasn't right. She would hate this. He crushed it and started again.

* * *

"Woah, dude!" Sasuke cracked open one eyelid to peer groggily at Kakashi as the door to his bedroom opened and his silver-haired band-mate stepped inside. The sun was blasting full throttle through his bedroom window, so Sasuke surmised that it must be around midday. Kakashi stepped gingerly over the piles of crushed paper on the floor. "We were calling you for ages, man. I thought you OD'd or something." He picked up a paper off the floor. "What's this? A new song?" Sasuke struggled to sit up, but his back protested the movement… a clear sign that he had fallen asleep at his bedside table again. At least he had finished the song.

"Mm… I have the lyrics, and some of the melody… but we need to come together to figure out the rest of it…" Sasuke groaned, and then stood until the popping sounds in his back stopped. He ran his painted nails through his spiky hair then down his face to cover his mouth when he yawned.

"Where's the real one?" Kakashi asked, tossing the half crushed paper back on the floor. Sasuke pointed to the table and trudged off to the bathroom. When he returned to his room, Kakashi was staring at the paper, nodding his head to an imaginary tune. He opened one eye and stared at Sasuke knowingly as soon as he stepped into the room.

"What?" Sasuke asked defensively, avoiding Kakashi's eyes.

"Who is she?" Kakashi asked, resting the notepad with the lyrics on his lap.

"No one," Sasuke replied, turning away from his band leader. Kakashi stared at him, raised one silver brow, and then redirected his attention to the lyrics on the paper.

"This can work. Sing what you had in mind." Sasuke nodded and cleared his throat. He didn't even need to look at the lyrics on the paper; they were a part of him now.

_Do you feel what I feel?_

_Do you dream about me too?_

_I want to know what you're thinking of_

_But I can't get through to you_

_Oh princess,_

_Do you hear what I hear?_

_Do you ache for my voice too?_

_I want to know what you think of me _

_But I can't get through to you_

Sasuke paused.

"The music is supposed to go here... something heavy, and then I was thinking Sakura could intro the chorus with a drumroll, and then the chorus." He sang what he had in mind, Kakashi's approval of the lyrics and tune evident in the way he nodded his head.

"Yeah that's good," Kakashi said when Sasuke paused, clearly excited by how the song was going.

"I want the bass to do something here, and then epic drum slap right after to pull in the second verse," Sasuke said, getting into the song. He sang the second verse, looking to Kakashi.

"Ohh, I like how you changed the sound in the second verse. It would sound epic if we kept the same instrumental we had for the first verse in the second verse, and put like only one difference… like maybe in the bass or drumming…" Kakashi said, leaning forward.

"Yeah. Maybe the lead and bass rather than the bass and drums, though. I thought we could maybe put the instrumental here, and then I'd come back in at the end with something… you know, to end the song. Some sort of bridge, I suppose."

Kakashi was nodding his head as if visualizing the performance of the song.

"How about fading out the song with one last line… to tie it all in?" Kakashi suggested. "Something like… _Do you feel what I feel?"_

"We might as well see what the others think before we get too settled on anything," Sasuke mused, pulling a shirt over his head. "Ring them up. We can go down to the studio and jam it out."

* * *

"Alright people! You are gonna be the first to hear Team 7's newest single, _Dreamsong!" _Kakashi yelled into the microphone. It was two months after Sasuke had created the song and they were performing at Ichiraku 757, one of Konoha's most popular venues. The crowd erupted in cheers. "That song is coming up, right after _Thunderstorm, _so hang tight alright?" If it was possible, the crowd cheered even louder. They began to chant the title of the Team 7 favorite hit. Naruto started the song off with his bass guitar and Sasuke was already scanning the crowd for Hinata. She had to be here for _Dreamsong_… She had to be. He knew she would most likely be there for at least the bass solo from _Thunderstorm, _and that's why he had put _Dreamsong_ after _Thunderstorm_ in the lineup.

The heat of the stage was just as hot as last time, but Sasuke didn't mind. The crowd was just as loud, but Sasuke loved it. Naruto was just as good… but he served his purpose. _She_ had come. Sasuke didn't know how he saw her, but he did, and his heart pumped just as loudly as the last time… or perhaps louder. He stepped forward, reaching for the microphone once more to sing the last part of _Thunderstorm_, expecting the disappointment to be less when Hinata disappeared. It wasn't. In fact, it was so great his throat felt like it would close up. _'Why won't you look at me?'_ he screamed at her inwardly, but of course, there was no answer.

_I just wish you would look at me –yeah_

Sasuke moaned into the microphone, and the crowd went wild. Sakura did a short drum solo just to get them more pumped up for the next song. Sasuke felt his heart stop. He was nervous. He was never nervous when it came to performing, but this time, the crowds didn't matter… only Hinata mattered, and he just needed to get her to look at him. If she looked at him, he could get her to feel about him the way he felt about her. But she needed to see him first. He hated what he had to do just for a potential chance to get seen by her, but she had been evading him for months now, and he was growing desperate. She had been taunting him from his dreams, appearing at the stage shows, and it was like giving him a small lick of a fruit he would never have. It was torture. His heart sunk when he caught sight of that dark blue head of hair making its way to the exit of Ichiraku 757.

"Naruto," he said, wondering how he could sound so nonchalant when his insides were twisting so much he felt to hurl. "You're up." He would do better this time. He would be smarter this time. This time she would have to see him.

Naruto stepped forward with his bass guitar and started off the opening bass solo for _Dreamsong_. Sure enough, Sasuke saw Hinata stop at the exit, and then she turned around. But he wouldn't let Naruto take all her attention this time. He stepped up next to the Team 7 bassist and put his arm over his shoulders.

_Do you feel what I feel?_

The crowd was silent. They were always silent at the debut of a Team 7 song. Sasuke wished they would yell so his heart wouldn't pound so damn hard. Sakura slammed the drums and Kakashi chipped in with Team 7's signature heavy lead guitar. It was time. Sasuke had kept the opening bass complicated enough so that maybe, just maybe, Hinata would stay for the whole song.

_Do you feel what I feel?_

_Do you dream about me too?_

_I want to know what you're thinking of_

_But I can't get through to you…_

Sasuke's voice rang out over the arena in the special break he had created in the music. If he was looking, he would see the stricken look on the faces of the female fans… but Sasuke wasn't looking. Not at them, anyway. The frustration of the past few months was building up again… because Hinata still wouldn't look at him. The song had just started, but maybe… maybe she would stay for it all.

_Princess!_

_Do you hear what I hear?_

_Do you ache for my voice too?_

_I want to know what you think of me_

_But I can't get through to you_

Kakashi's guitar went into overdrive just then, and Sakura slammed the drums exactly like they'd practiced. It was time for the chorus.

_Dreamsong; I see you in my dreams_

_Dreamsong; it's there I hear you scream_

_My name_

_Oh, Dreamsong; oh won't you be with me?_

_Dreamsong; oh won't you say…_

_My name!_

Sasuke's eyes were glued to Hinata, and for one blessed moment, when the guitars screeched at the end of the chorus, her eyes flitted to him. Sakura whacked the opening to the second verse into the drums, and this time, Sasuke was pumped. It was working.

_Will you go where I go?_

_Will you follow me around?_

Sasuke cursed Kakashi mentally. The bass quirk kicked in just then, and Hinata's eyes travelled back to Naruto, and stayed there.

_I would follow you to the ends of Earth_

_Cuz princess, I love you_

Sasuke knew his frustration and longing were making their presence known in his voice, but he couldn't help it. He needed her to look his way.

_Woman!_

_Do you care what I do?_

_Cuz I do it all for you_

_Girl, I'd do anything you wanted_

_Just to get next to you… ah…_

_Dreamsong; I see you in my dreams_

_Dreamsong; it's there I hear you scream_

_My name…_

_Dreamsong; oh won't you be with me_

_Dreamsong; oh won't you say…_

_MY NAME!_

The crowd began to roar as Kakashi's guitar went into overdrive again, and the bass line began a complicated sequence. Sakura's pink hair was sticking to her cheeks as she slammed out all hell on the drums… and Sasuke felt to curl up and die. Was there any point to this? Hinata was still there, but she was looking at Naruto still.

_Dreamsong! Oh princess… in my dreams_

_Dreamsong! Please princess, stay with me… oh, oh_

_Dreamsong! C'mon and scream my name…_

_Dreamsong… Dreamsong… please stay…_

Sasuke was begging her through the microphone. The fans knew there was someone that he was crying out to, and even though Sasuke knew that all the females, and even some of the males, were fantasizing that they were the object of his torment, he was far from pleased. The music got soft and slow, and Sasuke pulled the microphone to his lips. He stared at Hinata who was staring at Naruto, who was having the time of his life on stage. It was time for the final plea. The crowd went silent again, every one of them on bated breath.

_Oh, please look at me… ye-aahh…_

* * *

**A/N:- Well, there is chapter 2! I really hope you liked it! Please review and let me know what you think! I am not going off a specific plot for this, so if you want another chapter, I am taking suggestions: is there anything you would like to see in the next chapter?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Uwwaaahh! I had no idea you guys would like this story so much! (^_^) Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and review!**

* * *

Sasuke knew what was coming, and he was dreading it. The prying, the questions, the knowing little smiles and the guesswork... for any other musical season, it would be fine, but after hits like _Thunderstorm _and _Dreamsong_, the press and the fans were going crazy. There were countless blogs online, guessing the meaning of the words, speculating as to the hidden meanings of the music at certain points of the song, all thinking they knew what he was going through. There were arguments about the song lyrics and talk shows on the songs. The public was going crazy.

So, when the Team 7's manager, Tsunade, arrived outside the Konoha Imperial Studio, Sasuke wasn't surprised, nor was he pleased. He knew what was coming. The now dreaded words were bouncing around in his mind since he'd seen the diamond tattoo on Tsunade's forehead earlier that hour. _Press conference, interview, talk show._ Being the songwriter, he was going to take the heat for all of this. Sasuke only hoped he could come up with an idea to throw the media sharks off his scent.

_'Hinata... what are you doing to me?' _he moaned inwardly. This was all her fault. Her fault that he couldn't enjoy the fruit of his toil. Instead, the increased attention was making him feel more pathetic than ever; since it emphasised the point that he couldn't catch the attention of one person... one girl.

It was Tuesday afternoon, and Tsunade had all of Team 7 sitting around the large table in the KIS board room.

"Okay, Kakashi. I have Team 7 booked for a press conference at 11:00 am on Thursday, followed by a luncheon at The Sushi Pirate at 12:30. After that, you have a four hour break and then Team 7 is booked to open the Konoha-Suna-Iwa Fight Championships at the Arena. That is going to extend until Monday, so you are booked at 5:00 pm from Thursday to Monday. This is big money, guys. After you open, the winning teams are going to take you to dinner at the BBQ Shack. Be prepared for paparazzi mobs and crazed fans." Tsunade didn't even seem to be taking a breath... Which left no time for any of the Team 7 members to take a breath, much less Sasuke. It was all so much!

"This is so fast, Tsunade-san," Kakashi moaned. "How are we going to get ready in time for all of this? That leaves us only two days..." Tsunade chucked a handful of pens in Kakashi's direction. He ducked just in time to avoid them and they clattered not so harmlessly into the wall behind him.

"This is not playtime, Hatake! You have fittings with the Nara Outfitters at 4:30 pm, followed by a meeting with Shizune regarding what to say and what not to say. After that you have back to back practices back here because you are going to put on a show, whether you like it or not. I managed to book Pyrotech for a pyrotechnics meeting at 6:45 pm, and they are NOT easy to book, so make use of the time." Tsunade sent four packages whizzing down the table to each band member. "In each of those packages is a tablet. They will update your meeting times whenever I update the system, and will give an alarm when it's time to get ready for the next show." She placed her hands on her hips. "I have to head out to get the paperwork done soon, so talk fast. Are there any ideas you would like to get out there?"

Sakura raised a hand before saying, "We should play some of our older tunes as well so they can feed off some of this new publicity we are getting. Maybe they will up our downloads some." Tsunade smiled.

"Good idea, Sakura. Scatter them out among the new tunes so that we can keep the attention of the crowd. What else?" Tsunade said, scribbling the idea down at an amazingly rapid pace in amazingly awful penmanship.

"Since Sasuke seems to be on a roll, can we challenge ourselves to create a new song? We can hint that we have a big surprise in the press conference later so that more people come, and if we aren't ready in time we can pretend that the pyro show was the surprise," Kakashi commented, leaning forward eagerly.

At this point, Sasuke wanted to disappear. Literally. How could things have turned out this wrong? Everyone _except_ the person he wanted to pay attention was paying attention and it was frustrating.

"Sasuke... you're usually on top of this type of thing. Why so serious?" Naruto queried, leaning forward with a concerned expression. When Sasuke only managed to glare at him, hoping he would back off and not be his usual persistent self, Kakashi laughed.

"Naruto, have you even been listening to the words in the songs we've been playing lately?" At Naruto's blank look, Kakashi continued. "He's in love with someone," Kakashi stated plainly. Sasuke stood up abruptly and stalked over to the boardroom door. He couldn't take this anymore.

"Send the updates to my tablet," he said in a low, remarkably calm tone, not about to submit himself to the torture of seeing their faces. He pushed it open and stepped out of the boardroom, slamming the door behind him with the force of his frustration. It was surprising that the door didn't fall off its hinges.

_'This is all on you, Hinata. I will get you to see me, even if it means I have to step up my game,' _Sasuke thought, slamming the side of his fist against the wall. His face was set in a frown, he knew, but he couldn't help it. _Dreamsong_ had only worked for a three seconds. Only three seconds... and he knew this because he had counted. He needed another song. Something. It burned him that it was his clueless band-mate that had all her attention from day one. Naruto probably wasn't even aware how loyal a fan she was. Sasuke half-ran half-walked to the Konoha Imperial Studio recording rooms, feeling the beginnings of a song forming in his chest... a song of frustration and self doubt. Maybe he wasn't good enough for her. Maybe he was poisonous. Maybe he was too dark... that would explain why she was so attached to a carefree personality like Naruto's. For all his rationalizing and reasoning, it wasn't helping him feel any better.

Sasuke pushed open the door to Recording Room 7 and turned off the sound systems. He didn't want anyone hearing him before he was done. He slipped inside the soundproofed room and picked up a promotional pen and notepad from the stacks that were on the table. He sat down and began to write, pausing every couple moments to sing out the lyrics to himself. After singing something satisfactory, he would scribble down little notes next to the lyrics so he could remember them all.

* * *

_Sasuke is sitting down in the Recording Room 7 when the door opens and someone enters. He knows it's Hinata before he even looks up, but his heart still drops in surprise when he sees her. She is looking shyly at him, that cute blush rising to her cheeks and those enormous grey eyes focused on him and him alone._

_"I heard you singing, Sasuke-kun. Who were you singing for?" she asks, her whispery voice like a silken caress on his ears. Sasuke tries to speak but his throat is closed. Not again!_

_"Y-you..." he manages. "It's for you, Hinata." His voice doesn't sound like his. It's too pathetic... it's too pleading. But Sasuke doesn't care, because Hinata is looking at him. She is finally looking at him. His heartbeat escalates until it's beating twice as fast as it was beating before because Hinata suddenly drops to her knees on the floor next to him. He can't take his eyes off her. His body is useless because his brain only has thoughts of her. _

_"Will you sing it for me again, Sasuke-kun?" she says, but she is actually whispering now... whispering in a way that makes the blood drain from his head and go somewhere else... somewhere completely different. Sasuke opens his mouth, but all that escapes him is a longing gasp. His eyelids are heavy and his face and neck are burning. _

_"Hin-Hinata..." he chokes out. He wonders if she can see how much he wants her just by looking in his eyes. What little control Sasuke has over his body disappears when Hinata reaches out and touches his neck ever so gently with her fingertips._

_"Sing, Sasuke-kun... I want to feel... the song..." She is smiling when she says this, but it is a small smile... and her eyes are filled with a different message... filled with a promise of something far more than a song. Sasuke's heart is thudding heavier. It feels like it is going to burst from his chest. He opens his mouth to respond, but Hinata drags those fingertips gently down the column of his throat, stopping in the centre of his chest where his shirt opens up into a V. A groan pushes its way up his throat._

_"Hinata..." he breathes. She smiles and leans closer to him. He knows what's coming._

CRASH!

Sasuke's eyes flew open at the loud sound and frantically searched the room. Sasuke hated the disorientation that came with being awakened suddenly... wait... that was a dream? Sasuke's annoyance at being awakened was short-lived. It had died a fast death due to the arrival of the new contender; anger.

"Eh... Sorry, Sasuke," Naruto said, scratching the back of his blonde head with black-painted nails. The Team 7 bassist had knocked over the cymbals on his way to pick up his bass guitar which had been rested against the wall at the back of the recording room. "I was trying to be careful... but I guess..." Naruto looked genuinely apologetic, but he had just wrecked a damn good dream.

Sasuke had obviously fallen asleep while writing the lyrics to the song and it was hardly surprising. He hadn't got much sleep lately, what with the last minute performances, late night club appearances and the fan mail. Sasuke knew those weren't the only reasons. Many a night, after _finally_ getting some shut-eye, he would wake up all hot and bothered because of Hinata dreams. If she wasn't so damned hot this would not be so hard to deal with.

Now, however, Sasuke was annoyed enough, frustrated enough, angry enough to fuel himself... to plunge himself into the making of this new song. He had what... a half hour before it was time to get to Nara Outfitters? The way he was feeling, a half hour was time enough to at least brush up the lyrics he had been working on after leaving the meeting with Tsunade. Then he could show the lyrics to the band on the way to the Nara Compound so they could start creating some ideas.

Sasuke picked up his pen and began writing at the top of the page.

_Mariposa – Team 7_

He set the best variations of the song that he had written earlier beside him on the floor and began to copy over the lines he preferred, humming along to make sure they fit the tune he had in mind.

_You always pass the poisonous flower by_

_Butterfly_

_And then you smile_

_And you wave goodbye..._

_'That's right, maybe I'm poisonous. Would I wreck you if you were mine? Would I crush you?' _Sasuke thought bitterly. It wasn't fair that he had to be the one that was like this. It wasn't fair that he had all attention that was of no use to him, and Naruto had the attention of the one person that he did want. A cracking sound reached his ears and Sasuke looked down to realize that he had snapped the pen in his hand. He tossed the useless item on the floor and crushed the paper he had been writing on... it was useless as well, because it was covered in ink... well most of it was covered in ink.

As if the universe was taunting him, the words that remained visible were _'poisonous flower'. _ Sasuke felt his left eye twitching and swallowed his frustration. He really felt to scream at how knotted up he was feeling. He just wanted the next two days to be over and done with.

* * *

"So tell us, Sasuke... what gave you the inspiration for _Dreamsong_?" the TV show hostess asked, a wide smile on her face. Sasuke felt to squirm, but he had to appear confident for the camera. He cracked a small smile, _just_ in case Hinata was somewhere watching.

"Isn't it obvious? There's this girl... I see her in the audience sometimes..." he drawled, sending a meaningful look into the camera. He was smiling, but inside he was wilting. Shizune told him to say something that sounded finite, but was vague enough to keep the fans guessing. The hostess began fanning her chest with her hand.

"Oh... oh my," she gasped. "Well, I have been to all your shows, Sasuke-kun..." she said, her voice trailing off hopefully, her insinuation in the words that were unspoken. The rest of Team 7 was chuckling good-naturedly, and Sasuke took that as his cue... because he really had no idea how to respond to that. He really wanted to stuff the complimentary glass of water down her throat and yell "Not on your life, bitch!" but instead he sent her as warm a grin as he could manage.

"Thank you very much. Every fan means so very much to Team 7. We are going to open the Konoha-Suna-Iwa later this evening, and we are planning something very special for all the Team 7 fans... I know that it's late notice, but we just perfected it, so everyone can get their last minute passes at the KIS building," Sasuke said instead, trying to take the focus off him. It almost worked.

"That's right!" the hostess said. "Sasuke-kun, you can understand how you... Team 7... is the hot topic this month... The debut performance video for _Dreamsong_ is currently the most played video on Leaftube, and it's no mystery why! Shino, play the video..." the hostess said, her honeyed voice beginning to get cloying. The interviewer and Team 7 turned round to look at the large screen behind them that was playing the video of the debut performance of _Dreamsong_. Sasuke felt to sink into the show chair he was seated on when the camera's zoomed in on his face while he was singing '_Cuz princess, I love you'. _He cursed himself when he realized he could see the desperation and the longing in his on-stage mannerisms, even that way he reached out with one hand as if grasping for that elusive... _Hinata_...

"Wow... just... wow," the hostess said. "Sasuke-kun... tell us... tell us about what you are feeling..." she continued, leaning closer. Sasuke felt like a bug under a microscope. He hung on to his Team 7 persona for dear life, forcing himself to come up with something vague enough to get him off the hook.

"It's all in the music, Ino-san... it's not something I can explain... it's something you have to _feel_ you know, in the music," Sasuke finally said after a moment's pause, looking intently at the hostess as if it was something that made all the sense in the world. "It's all up to the ones that actually execute the _sound_ that you have to talk to, you know. Naruto, Kakashi and Sakura really are the ones that make it all perfect," he continued, hoping to foist the attention of the hostess upon his band-mates. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Kakashi's guitar crooned, softly at first, then escalating to a high-pitched wail for the opening of Team 7's new song _Mariposa_. It was the final song of the night; it was the surprise. Sasuke pressed the microphone to his lips, trying to prevent his eyes from scanning the crowd. He 'ooh'ed in tune with the guitar, closing his eyes as if in sweet torment... which he was... only it wasn't sweet. Sakura ran her drumsticks through a line of musical chimes, emitting a pleasant effect that actually sent tingles down Sasuke's spine.

_You pass this poisonous flower by_

_Butterfly..._

Sasuke groaned softly into the microphone. The Pyrotech technicians lit the tar-coated wires that were invisible against the night sky and the crowd ooh-ed when the fire on the lines revealed the enormous butterfly that was suspended above them

_And then you smile_

_And you wave good bye_

Sasuke whispered hauntingly into the microphone, inner pain lacing the words. This was what he liked about the stage. For three minutes, the average duration of a song, he could reveal himself. He could open his chest and expose the gory details... and it was all part of the performance. The guitar faded to a memory and all was silent for three seconds, then Naruto's bass guitar sounded, his fingers flashing as they passed through the sequence. Sasuke tapped his foot to the rhythm as Sakura joined in on the drums, water droplets flying into the air in an orange hued display every time she slapped the drums. His eyes scanned the crowd. There were a lot of people out there, more than usual... would he ever find her? His eyes dropped in disappointment as it drew closer to the opening verse, and then he saw her!

Hinata was right at the front of the stage! He could reach down and touch her if he so wished... and he so wished... but it wouldn't do. He reached for the microphone.

_Won't you stop at the poisonous flower?_

_Don't you pass me by _

_Won't you think of the poisonous flower?_

_So that both of us can die..._

_Butterfly_

He reached his hand down into the crowd at his feet, pretending to be a good showman and connect with the crowd, but the thrill came when his fingertips touched hers for that fleeting second. Their eyes met and the world faded to white around him. Time stopped for Sasuke. She blinked, and his hand was grasped by another fan, but that one moment was enough. Almost. She was looking at Naruto again, and the bastard was smiling at her. Sasuke's anger and frustration returned with the force of a freight train.

_You don't care what I want;_

_But I want you_

_You don't care what I need_

_But I need you_

_Butterfly_

Sasuke roared into the microphone, and he could see he had startled the crowd. Good. They hadn't been expecting the harshness of the chorus after that pleading opening. Good. That was what a poisonous flower was like, right? Beautiful at first, then harsh and painful when touched. On cue, the butterfly lit up again, the chemically altered flames flickering in different colours over the body of the butterfly; some parts red, others green, orange, pink and blue. It was beautiful.

_Won't you sip from this poisonous flower?_

_Please don't pass me by_

_How lonely is this poisonous flower?_

_It's so lonely that it wants to die_

_Butterfly_

Sasuke groaned the last two lines, barely keeping in tune. When given the chance to express himself, his feelings could no longer be contained, and they poured out of him without care.

_You don't know that I want_

_That I want you_

_You don't know that I need_

_That I need you_

_But I need you, Butterfly_

The music changed, pushing into the semi-harsh, almost disturbing bridge of the song. Sasuke was ready for it. It was self expression after all.

_Come and perch on my poisonous petals_

_Come and sip from my tainted nectar_

_Butterfly_

The colours in the intricate design of the butterfly began to fade from the inside out.

_Oh, come on now, don't keep me waitin'_

_Don't leave my body achin'_

_Butterfly_

_Don't be scared, little butterfly_

_Cuz if I kill you, I too shall die_

Only the outer ring of the butterfly remained lit, then the fire raced on a different course, changing the butterfly shape to that of a sickly green flower with an intricate design. Sasuke looked meaningfully into the crowd at his feet. Hinata's eyes were darting between him and Naruto. Sasuke's heart thudded almost painfully. Was this a breakthrough? He finished the song with a final plea as the green flower slowly faded away.

_Please don't pass me by..._

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**Yosh! Here is the third chapter as I promised! I hope you guys like it! Please let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again, yall! Thank you again for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter! **

* * *

Hunger. _Hunger_ was a word that accurately described what Sasuke was feeling at the moment. He'd gone to the restroom after the show, not to use it in the natural sense, but to as an escape. He had had a few beers, and maybe a shot of vodka to mellow out the frustration. Sasuke had been feeling so dissatisfied lately that it had been turning him downright ornery. He had decided that he shouldn't hide away from his fans any longer, and it was then that a stunning twist of fate had him walking right into none other than Hyuuga Hinata as he burst from the restroom.

He had collided into her, his legs tangling with hers, causing her to fall sideways. Instinctively, his hands had wound around her and she had ended up pressed up against the wall on the opposite side of the hall with Sasuke's arms around her and his body cradling hers. They were in close proximity. _Very close proximity. _Hence the hunger.

Sasuke's eyes were glued to her face. That blasted blush was high on her cheeks and her eyes were fixed to a random spot on his neck. Her long, dark-blue lashes were fanned out over her cheeks and those lips… those lips that haunted his dreams, that teased him when he was defenseless… those lips that were currently damp and parted were begging to be kissed. And damn it, Sasuke wanted her.

"A-ano," she whispered. Her eyes opened wide in response to his escalating heartbeat, and then their eyes met. He could feel the warm whispers of her breath brushing his neck in damp, uneven puffs. Was she…? Was she _reacting_ to him? Sasuke wasn't sure that she was; for all he knew it could be fear, but he couldn't bring himself to break their connection. It was not only because she was finally looking at him. No, it was because he was a red-blooded male and her luscious curves were pressed up against him, warm and soft and, _oh kami, she was turning him on _and they hadn't even spoken a coherent word to each other!

Not that Sasuke was in any way capable of even coherent _thought_… his mind was filled with her name and images… fantasies really, but he would die before he would admit it. The hallway was empty. There was no one there. And she was pressed so closely to him… he owed it to himself to make a move. He had to at least try, right? If it failed, he could plead inebriation. He was a rockstar… it was a plausible excuse… then he could maybe ask for the opportunity to make it up to her. Win-win situation, right?

He ducked his head slowly, eyes flicking to her face and eyes to check her reaction… to see if she would back away. She didn't. Sasuke's eyes slid shut the moment his lips met hers. His lips slid against her already parted ones and he slid his tongue ever so briefly against hers. For someone that had been waiting so long just to be seen, the kiss was _heaven_. He never wanted to stop. He wanted to keep her here for _his _pleasure only. He angled his head to the side to deepen this kiss, but she pulled away sharply … because someone screamed his name. It broke the mood for Hinata, but it took Sasuke a bit longer to descend from _that place. _Her small hands were pushing at his chest, trying to create some distance between the two of them. Sasuke was still on a high that made comprehension of her actions slow to come, his heart was still galloping, his breathing was still uneven, his eyes were still clouded with desire and he was still _hungry_.

He tried to blink away the fog in his brain, but it was resilient, as was the stupid grin on his face. He could only watch as Hinata walked quickly away from him in the opposite direction to where the voice had been coming from, simply because his body refused to respond and his mind was strangely blank apart from a vague sense of elation. He needed more of that feeling. If Sasuke had thought that getting her to see him would be his triumph, he was wrong, because in that small instance, Hinata made him ache for so much more. However, the universe had been good to him… it had shown him that what he wanted _was possible._

* * *

"You really like BBQ, ne, Sasuke-kun?" one of the Championship finalists, Chouji, commented. Sasuke grinned. He was on top of the world at the moment. The stage show had been a success, the song and pyrotechnics had been very well received… and he had just frickin' kissed Hyuuga Hinata! Not even the fact that there were so many fans at the BBQ Shack angling to get a glimpse of Team 7 that the restaurant doors stayed permanently open was enough of a mood kill for Sasuke. Team 7 and around twenty of the Championship finalists were sprawled around a BBQ grill in a private booth, trying to ignore the majority of the camera flashes. The wrists of all the Team 7 members were aching from signing autographs all night, but Sasuke was happy.

"That's news to me," Naruto said while biting into a perfectly barbequed chunk of pork.

"You don't know everything about me," Sasuke chuckled, lunging across the table to steal the unbitten part of the chunk of pork from Naruto's chopsticks. He dropped the whole thing into his mouth much to Naruto's horror.

"S-S-Sasuke!" Naruto stuttered in shock… which quickly converted to mild annoyance. "That was a perfectly done piece of pork, man," the blonde bassist groaned, looking at Sasuke in utter disappointment. The occupants of the table laughed… and the cameras flashed. No doubt that picture would be plastered all over the newspapers tomorrow… but Sasuke didn't care.

Roughly two hours later, the party mood was still on a high at the BBQ Shack. The managers of the establishment had convinced Team 7 to perform, promising them twenty-five percent of the night's revenue. In the mood Sasuke was in, it wasn't hard to convince them. The staff of the restaurant were clearing out some of the fans and creating a decent sized opening for Team 7's instruments to be set up.

"Yo, I am heading out back for a breather," Naruto told Sasuke. "The managers told me that the staff parking is back there, and it's off limits to the public, so I am gonna try and get away from the crowd for a little before they are done setting up the stage." He started walking towards the back exit of the restaurant then turned to Sasuke. "So… you coming?" At this point, any hard feelings Sasuke had for Naruto were nonexistent… he was feeling _that good_, from just one kiss.

"Yeah, lemme grab a couple of beers," Sasuke replied with a grin. It would be good to get a nice breather… feel the cool night air and get a second of peace to just relive that moment in the Arena hallway. He pulled his hoodie over his head and tried to assume the character of just one of the crowd. Sasuke pushed his way to the open bar, showing his face only to the bartender, who nodded in understanding to the look in his eyes. He didn't want to be revealed. "Two beers," Sasuke said as quietly as he could if he wanted the bartender to hear him, then made his escape as soon as the cold beverages were in his hand.

Some amount of pushing and jostling later, Sasuke was stepping into the drastically cooler night air. But, where was Naruto? He couldn't exactly yell out his band-mate's name, so he edged around the corner of the building, hoping not to bump into any crazed fans or diligent paparazzi. There were none, but he could still hear the pandemonium from the other side of the building where people were still crowded. Feeling like a school kid playing hooky, Sasuke crouched and ran into the parking lot.

"Oi, Sasuke," Naruto whispered harshly. "Over here!" Sasuke looked up to see Naruto in the back of a pickup truck. His blonde band-mate was grinning widely. "Look what I found…" Sasuke grinned back and vaulted into the back of the pickup truck. Then his heart stopped and his smile slid off his face. Huddled in the back of the truck with Naruto were two girls, but they weren't _any_ two girls. Well _one_ of them wasn't just any girl! Hinata? What was she doing here… there… under Naruto's arm? A wave of possessive heat clawed through Sasuke's stomach.

"Lucky find," he bit out, still trying to sound positive, but it was hard. _Oh kami, _it was so damn hard.

"I know, and a perfect balance too. This one," Naruto said, pulling Hinata closer, "is Hinata, and she's a _Naruto_ fan…" Sasuke barely heard anything other than Hinata's little gasp of surprise (and was that _pleasure?_) when Naruto pulled her close. "And that one," Naruto continued, pointing to the redhead that was staring adoringly at Sasuke, "is Karin, and she is one of _yours_. See? Perfect, dattebayo." No. Not perfect. Sasuke didn't give a rat shit about some crappy Karin. He didn't write songs about Karin. He wanted Hinata. He'd _kissed_ Hinata. This night was turning out like the past couple of months had. Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

"Mmnaah, not perfect," he heard himself say. Three pairs of eyes shot to him. "Let's switch these up. Gimme your fan and you take mine," Sasuke said. He might as well finish what he started. One of Naruto's eyebrows rose. He seemed to be contemplating the request. Bastard. Sasuke hated the way Hinata's eyes went wide in protest. What, he wasn't good enough for her? And what was with the way she was looking at Naruto? All adoring and shy. If he had her in his arms again, he could make her like him. She would whisper things in his ear, just like what she was doing with Naruto now. Wait, _what?_

"Well, I was about to say 'no problem'," Naruto started, a lopsided grin on his face, "but _Hinata_ here says she came here for me, and if it's not me, she is gonna leave." Before Sasuke could pick his stomach, and some other part of his body that he would be damned before he admitted out loud, up from where they had just dropped six feet under, fucking Karin had to chime in.

"And I don't want anyone but you, Sasuke-kun," she stated, her eyes lowered seductively. The effect was lost on Sasuke. His chest felt like it was hollow, only the entire hollow area was burning… almost as much as it was hurting. His stomach felt heavy and upset. _'Why? Why, Hinata, why? I can't stay here. I can't stay here and see them… or worse, hear them,'_ Sasuke thought. It looked like Team 7 would have another single debuting soon, because the way he was feeling right now…

"I'm going back inside," Sasuke heard himself say, his voice sounding a bit strangled even to him. He grabbed the two beers and jumped back out of the truck. "I'll send Kakashi to call you when they are done setting up."

"Sasuke, wait… stay man, Karin's hot enough, right?" Naruto called, his arm still snugly settled about Hinata's shoulders, and damn her for looking so happy about it. Sasuke glared at them both. "C'mon, Sasuke, at least leave one of the beers," Naruto continued, but Sasuke was already walking. "Ugh," he heard Naruto grunt. "His family is loaded, so he gets like this sometimes when things don't go his way," his band-mate continued in low tones. Sasuke scowled and quickened his pace. He needed to get back into the crowd, into the noise.

_"…Hinata here says she came here for me, and if it's not me, she is gonna leave…" _He heard Naruto's voice in his head repeat. Sasuke grit his teeth and hurled one of the still unopened beer bottles into the night, hearing a faintly satisfying crash as the bottle broke some window or glass Sasuke didn't give a shit about. Damn it all to hell! Footsteps sounded behind him, and Sasuke spun round, foolishly hoping it was Hinata. He knew before he turned that it _wasn't _Hinata, but he hoped anyway. It was Karin.

"C'mon, let me make you feel better," the redhead said, her meaning clear in her eyes. However, Sasuke was in no mood to be around her or anyone at the moment.

"If you don't disappear _right now_, I will rip your fucking throat out," Sasuke said, and a faint part of him was surprised to realize that he really did mean it. In the mood he was in, he would kill this bitch in an instant. Fortunately for her, she realized he was serious, and backed away quickly. Sasuke stormed back into the restaurant. Was it time to play yet? Kami knew, he needed the escape right about now, or by the gods, he would kill something, or someone.

* * *

There was only one song Sasuke felt to play at the moment, and he told the manager of the BBQ Shack as much. His band-mates looked like they were about to protest this, but one look at Sasuke's expression and Kakashi stopped them. Something _bad _must have happened recently, and it was showing on Sasuke's face. Despite his popularity, Kakashi knew Sasuke was only human, and some things weren't meant to be pushed aside… _couldn't_ be pushed aside just for the sake of playing a couple of songs.

"Alright, _Thunderstorm _and then we are leaving," Kakashi said. "Well, some of us might stay," he amended when a particularly voluptuous waitress brushed past. Sasuke scowled and pushed his way through the screaming fans whose hands pawed and clawed at him as he moved past. So much for a good night.

He tried not to react at all to the red mark on Naruto's neck when the bassist took his place on Sasuke's right. He failed, because his hands began shaking with the need to punch something. _'Wait, wait for the song,'_ he chanted in his head. He barely heard the starting notes to the Team 7 hit over the pounding in his head.

_Why won't you look at me?_

_Why don't you feel the rush?_

_This rush that I get for you…_

_Oh it's so damn dangerous…_

Sasuke meant every word that he was singing, and the way the crowd went silent tonight, it was obvious that they felt something too… they were all feeling his torment… feeling the grit in his voice that hadn't been there earlier. Sakura slapped the drums and Naruto's bass opened for the chorus.

_When I see your face_

_I feel a thunderstorm_

_You feel like life to me_

_But it's so damn dangerous_

_It's! _

Sakura slapped the drums in timing to the single word, and Kakashi's guitar revved into overdrive. It was heavy metal, but it was pulling at Sasuke's chest like never before.

_So fucking dan-gerr-oouuss!_

_I said,_

_It's!_

_So fucking dan-gerr-oouuss!_

Sasuke was staring out into the crowd, but he wasn't seeing their faces. They were all silent, and the sound of the music was reaching every corner of the BBQ Shack.

_I just wish you would look at me - yeah_

_I just feel to self destruct!_

_I am sick of the way I feel_

_The way that I feel for you_

Sasuke was lost. Lost in his own world of pain at the moment, and that burning longing that squeezed his insides into a knotted wreck.

_Oh but, when I see your face_

_I feel a thunderstorm_

_You feel like life to me_

_But it's so damn dangerous_

_It's!_

_So fucking dan-gerr-ouuuss!_

_I said,_

_It's!_

_So fucking dan-gerr-oouuss!_

The music switched for the bridge/ending of the song, and Sasuke's energy was next to depleted.

_Thunder- stoorrrmm…_

_I hate you for makin' me love yoouu_

_Oh I HATE you for makin' me love you!_

_Thunderstorm!_

_…And I HATE that you dared make me love you_

_Thunderstorm…_

The word rang out in the silence where the music stopped playing for a moment. A movement in the otherwise still crowd caught Sasuke's attention, and he recognized Hinata moving towards the front door. Naruto's bass played a short sequence, introducing Sakura's light taps on the drums and Kakashi's guitar which was crooning plaintively. Sasuke was exhausted somehow, and then his breathy voice, amplified by the microphone, filled the room as he saw Hinata pause under the doorjamb.

_I just wish you would look at me…_

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**Yosh! That's it for this chapter! Please, oh please review, and let me know what you think, and what you may want to see in the next chapter (if you want a new chapter). Also, there is a poll on my profile as to the addition of a new band member. Do you, or do you not want Sai to join the band? Thanks again!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again, everyone! (^_^)/. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews, the follows and the favorites! I am so happy that so many people have taken the time to read! **

**For reference, "Oyasumi" means "Good night"**

* * *

"What? Whose idea was this?" Sasuke growled. He knew from the stares that he most likely looked as bad as he felt. Why on earth would people actually seek after love? From what he had experienced of it, it sucked.

"It was mine, Sasuke," Sakura stated. "It would be great for the band's image if we did something, you know, for the community. I think donating to the Konoha Hospital for kids with cancer is a great idea." She sounded defensive.

"_That_ part is a good idea, so why do we have to involve the fans?" Sasuke growled back, irritated at everything, and irritated because he was irritated. Damn it all to hell.

"I thought we could kill two birds with one stone," Kakashi said, tipping a beer bottle to his head. He swallowed before continuing. "If we have the fans buy tickets, sorta like the lotto, we can get money to donate without actually dipping into our account. And, as for the prize, we can have four winners that get to do our wardrobe for our next show." Sasuke wanted to hate the idea. He wanted to say it was stupid and useless, but he knew it was actually a great idea, and that he would just be projecting his feelings about himself onto the idea rather than voicing an actual opinion. Somehow, that made him more irritated.

"Hn," he grunted before walking from the room. He wanted to be by himself right now. It was times like this that he hated himself. When it came to getting something he really wanted, it was always out of his reach. Was that pathetic, or what? The statement Hinata had made last month was still haunting him. It was like she didn't acknowledge his presence at all… not to mention the fact that she'd given his band-mate a hickey… that still burned his pride. After he had kissed her, all she could think about was Naruto? To hell with that! Still, he had to admit that even if that redhead that was with them that night had cheated a kiss from him, _he_ would still be thinking about Hinata.

_'So you're saying you cheated that kiss from her in the hall, then?' _His mind taunted him. No, of course he hadn't cheated a kiss from her. He had advanced slowly enough to allow her to back away, but she hadn't! So that meant she must have at least been curious about kissing him, right? If that was so then… then something must not have been right with the kiss. Was he a bad kisser? Sasuke actually stopped walking as soon as the thought crossed his mind. Not possible. He was a damned good kisser, right? But if he was so good, how could she not even spare him a glance? He must not have kissed her right… But it had felt so _good_ for him, so why wasn't it good for her too? Sasuke groaned and rubbed the heel of his palm to his left eye. He was exhausted, and he felt like a wuss every time he thought about exactly why he was this tired. He was afraid.

Sasuke was afraid that if he went to sleep, he would dream about Hinata, and after hearing what she had said to Naruto, dreaming about a girl who was so hopelessly out of his reach was… well it would make him feel worse, right? Still, there was a small percentage of a chance that if he fell asleep, his dream could be something wonderful, like her being all his, for even a short moment… and that would ease his suffering, at least for a little while, right? Sasuke wasn't sure about anything anymore. He sighed. He needed to develop another song.

* * *

_I shouldn't want to take another step _

_I shouldn't want to get closer to you _

_Way out here I'm safe from your fire_

_Way out here, I'm cold and lonely too_

_You have the power to totally wreck me_

_So I'm contemplating staying way out here…_

Sasuke's uncertainty only visible in the words and his irritation was visible in the sub-par penmanship that was scratched over the paper. The song was cloaking a lot of his emotions, and Sasuke knew that the words would not fully reveal themselves until he was safe on stage, singing with his chest open and his voice exposing the gory details of the parts of himself that he kept hidden. Sasuke paused slightly at the chorus, not sure whether or not he should go so far as to openly state how he felt… he decided that he would… he could… since he would be safe on stage. He put the pen back to the paper and continued writing.

Hours, and piles of crushed paper, later, Sasuke was finally finished. There were still some issues he wanted to work through in regards to the instrumental, and this time, it would be different. There would be no complicated bass line in this song… this was a song that would be dominated by his voice, and right now, Sasuke just felt that he needed to express himself without being concerned about whether or not Hinata would be listening. There was no other place like a stage in front of thousands of nameless people to express himself and be free. Sasuke had always felt that singing when he was by himself was pathetic, and singing in front of a close knit group would riddle the results with bias and questions. On stage, he could sing anything he wanted, and the crowd would envelope him in the safety he required… the crowd didn't ask questions or judge… the crowd just listened and supported. He needed the crowd.

* * *

Tsunade sat over a notepad, scribbling madly as Sakura spoke. She was fully on board with the fund-raising/public service/band publicity stunt, and thought it was a splendid way to increase the fan loyalty as well as look good in the public eye. Over the next two weeks, the tickets would be sold, and the four fans that won the grand prize would be chosen the following Sunday, with the results being revealed on the Monday. For a consolation prize, a lucky fifty fans would get front row seats to Team 7's upcoming stage show, which would be held on the Friday. That would leave the middle of the week free for costume consultations and fitttings as well as rehearsals of the stage performance. Also, no one wanted to have to go to work the day after a Team 7 show. That was a proven fact.

Sasuke was feeling marginally better and it was showing. The song, _Way out Here_, had been somewhat cathartic, and even though Kakashi had been eyeing him questioningly since he had shown them the lyrics and described what direction he wanted to take the instrumental, the band leader hadn't really commented. Kakashi knew the Uchiha was having a hard time with what he was pegging as unrequited love, and for the good of the band – since Sasuke was the band's image and voice – he kept his mouth shut. Truth be told, all metal bands should produce at least one ballad, diversity or whatever, and Kakashi guessed that _Way out Here_ would be Team 7's first _bona fide_ ballad. There was only a simple bass line; the drumming was to be kept low; and the guitar solo was made up of mostly chords, which Sasuke would play, with a somewhat sad, slow accompaniment by Kakashi's lead guitar. Naruto had been a bit put off because he loved the rush that came from the crazy bass line that had become Team 7's signature. However, Kakashi had managed to convince the blonde bassist that for the type of song, the bass had to be a certain way, or the song would die an ungainly death.

After the meeting with Tsunade, Team 7 practiced _Way out Here_ as a group for the first time. Sakura had put all the sheet music together and they were ready to go. They went into Recording Room 7 at the KIS since all practice sessions were recorded so they could review the songs afterwards.

After they fumbled through the opening instrumental, it was time for Sasuke to sing. He put his headphones over his ears and stepped up to the microphone, nodding his head slowly to stay on beat. When he began to sing, Sakura stopped drumming, Naruto stopped playing the bass, and Kakashi's hands dropped uselessly in front of his guitar. Never before had Sasuke pulled off a sound like this. Kakashi selfishly hoped the Uchiha's romantic problems would never sort themselves out, because they were doing wonders for the band.

Apparently going off the music in his head, Sasuke continued singing with eyes closed and hands pressing the speakers to his head.

_I shouldn't want to take another step_

_I shouldn't want to get closer to you_

_Way out here I'm safe from your fire_

_Way out here I'm cold and lonely too_

_You have the power to totally wreck me_

_So I'm contemplating staying way out here…_

Sakura, eyes wide, looked dumbly to Naruto who raised his shoulders helplessly. Neither of them really knew where this was coming from, but the pain in their band-mate's voice discouraged any questions whatsoever… they didn't want to mess with his mojo. By the time Sasuke reached the chorus, Sakura was torn between wanting to cry and being seriously impressed with Sasuke's talent. When Sasuke got to the bridge, his eyes were squeezed shut and he was trembling slightly. The other members just listened, giving each other the occasional uncomfortable glance. _Way out Here_ was going to be a big hit, they could feel it, but at the same time, for Sasuke to spring this on them was a bit hard to take in. What would it be like when he was actually on stage? Thanks to their surprise, they had a clean track of Sasuke's song _a cappella_.

"Let's practice the instrumental," Sasuke said in a strangely quiet voice a few moments after the last strains of the song had been pulled from his throat. "The next time I sing this is going to be on stage," he continued. "I'll know when we have the instrumental right." Sakura began knocking her drumsticks together immediately, leaving no opportunity for comment.

* * *

It was the night of the show. Team 7 had _Way out Here_'s instrumental down perfectly, and the music meant something different to each member of the band. The song had become a part of them somehow. The lucky winners of the lotto, known only by their purchasing ID numbers, were on their way over to the Team 7 dressing room at the Konoha Stadium with the hair materials, makeup materials, costumes and accessories. Sakura would be the first one to get done up since she had to help set up her drum cage for the show. Kakashi followed by Naruto would go after Sakura since they had to help set up the stage and make sure everything was in place. Sasuke would be going last since he was always the one to get on the stage last, for effect.

The result of this plan was that Sasuke was waiting for ages for his turn to get done up. It was roughly half hour before the show, and he was already in costume, accessorized, had his hair styled, and was now waiting for the makeup artist to be done with Naruto. He or she was taking an inordinately long time. Sasuke had to admit that so far, the lucky winners had done a great job with his costume, portraying him as some sort of dark angel. The look was somewhat cohesive to the outfits in the Kazekage Summer Haute Couture Runway Show, which would be on in between the two halves of the Team 7 show; that is, Team 7 would play, then the fashion show would proceed. After the fashion show was over, Team 7 would play again and wrap up the night.

Sasuke spun on the stool round and round, absently watching the feathers on the enormous wings strapped to his back riffle in the resulting breeze. His eyes looked a bit hopeless and empty in the mirror, even to himself, with a hint of hidden pain he knew would overflow the moment he opened his mouth to sing on stage. It was getting harder as time went by to keep himself from drowning himself in thoughts of Hinata. He had the insane hope that maybe, just maybe, she would come tonight and give him some of her attention. _Way out Here_ was going to open the show tonight, and he hoped it would be well received. A streak of… _something_ had him leaning forward and breathing onto the mirror. He smiled a little sadly at the condensation that appeared on the glass, then wrote three kanjis in the condensation: 'Hi', 'Na', 'Ta'. A creak behind him caught his attention. The makeup designer had arrived. Sasuke panicked when he saw who it was, and he sent a frantic glance to the mirror, but the message and the condensation had already disappeared. He slowly turned to face the person whose name he had just written.

Sasuke wanted to say something, but his throat closed up. She smiled politely, the type of smile you gave someone you were meeting for the first time. Sasuke resented that. If he had smiled, it would have been filled with pain, not politeness. He didn't smile, but rather acknowledged her with his eyes.

"Hello, I'm…" she started. Sasuke cut her off.

"I know who you are. Nice to see you again." _Kami,_ he could sound so cold when he was struggling not to behave like he cared! The pleasant statement sounded anything _but_ pleasant. She pressed her lips together and nodded silently as she walked across the room to the dressing table in front him. She set her kit down and wordlessly opened it. Sasuke wanted to say something, but he had no idea what to say. Instead, his heart began to pound in his chest, and each heartbeat _hurt_, feeling like they were cracking his chest open with each beat. He watched Hinata's every move silently, his eyes drinking in her every nuance, her every breath. It was amazing how as simple a task as pouring skin cleanser on a cotton pad could look so beautiful when Hinata was the one doing it, and pretty soon, Sasuke was so captivated that he had unconsciously matched his breathing pattern to hers.

She turned to him, the cotton square in her hand, and leaned forward. Sasuke couldn't close his eyes, even when she pressed the cool square to his face and began to gently wipe his skin with it. It was getting harder for Sasuke to breathe, because her face was so close and she was so beautiful when she was concentrating on his face. Sasuke's eyes fluttered closed when she wiped his brow, and he allowed himself to imagine that she was doing this… that she was wiping his face so gently because she was as much in love with him as he was with her. He imagined her smiling softly as her ample chest pressed against him, whispering his name as she dragged that cool square over his heated skin…

A small groan sounded in the back of his throat, and his eyes flew open the exact moment her hands stilled. He knew lust was clouding his eyes, darkening them, but he hadn't been able to shutter it in time… or maybe he just wanted her to see… maybe he just wanted her to see how much he wanted her. Sasuke caressed her lips with his gaze and watched her pulse beat in her throat… in that exact spot he wanted to kiss, and maybe sneak a taste of. He watched the column of her throat move as she swallowed and barely managed to strangle the resulting groan that had made it halfway out his parted lips. He cleared his throat in a desperate effort to cover it up. How did she _do _this to him? Sasuke watched silently as she blinked rapidly, and smiled inwardly as some of the answering heat that had appeared in her grey eyes cleared. So he _did_ have some effect on her.

If Sasuke thought her cleaning his face was anything to hoot about, he was getting ahead of himself, for her next move almost stole his control. She poured a small amount of clear gel in her palm, then used her fingers to spread it over his face. The moment her fingers touched the skin of his face, Sasuke's skin responded with searing heat. Her fingers were gently smoothing the gel over his skin, and it would have been quite innocent if Sasuke didn't have the hots for her. As it was, her touch was doing strange things to him. His stomach felt as if something was fluttering around inside, his heartbeat escalated, his skin heated, and he could barely keep his eyes open. Damn her, but her fingers felt so _good_ when she was rubbing that gel over his face. Sasuke's vision blurred and he was somewhere else.

_Sasuke sighs as Hinata applies the lotion to his face. Her shirt is open to mid chest, exposing a tantalizing display of her cleavage, and even though Sasuke knows she is all his, he waits, allowing her to play her game… even though he wants her so bad he can taste it, he doesn't interfere. Her slim fingers tip his chin upwards and she smiles seductively, daring him to release his control and just take her right there. _

_Hinata's fingers drop to his throat, touching skin that only seems to get this sensitive when she is around. She is invoking a reaction on the opposite side of his body than where she is touching, and she knows it, and it pleases her, because that is her intention._

_"Hinata," Sasuke growls in warning. She shouldn't touch him like that while displaying that type of expression. She knows what that does to him, how that would loosen his already shaky grip on control. She does not reply, but rather spreads the lotion over his chest, her fingertips tracing his collarbone in a way that makes him shiver even though he is so hot. Sasuke watches her pour more lotion into her palm, and shudders in anticipation as she rubs her palms together._

_Hinata flattens her palms on his chest, the lotion cold against his skin, which is burning for her. His heartbeat is moving so fast, and the blood is draining from his head and towards a different area of his anatomy at a speed that makes him dizzy… dizzy with desire. It is a powerful feeling and it courses through his body as her hands massage the lotion over his pectoral muscles then slide up to his shoulders and back down again. Sasuke can barely breathe when her hands slide down to his abs, and he pulls in his stomach instinctively when she nears…_

_A groan tears from his throat. She needs to hurry up. She seems to like the feeling of his toned abs… she should. He's worked hard on them. Her fingers brush a line down the center of his abs, and it invokes a definite reaction in Sasuke's pants. She needs to hurry the hell up before he dismantles her game. It was her idea to do cosplay, but at this rate he won't be able to wait. Another groan, this time taking the syllables of her name, claws its way out of his throat. Her hands pause for a short moment. He has lost all control on his breathing by now, and has to grip the sides of his chair to keep from… He moans softly when her hands slip round to his sides… he never knew he was that sensitive there, or is it just because it is her?_

_Then, her hands stop their torture altogether. Sasuke closes his eyes, not able to watch her hands do what they were doing if he wants to wait until she is ready. Her hands begin to rub the lotion into his arms and Sasuke allows himself to breathe again. He hadn't even realized when he stopped breathing. _

_"Keep your eyes closed, Sasuke," she whispers, and the sound sends goosebumps racing all over his body. A breath shudders from his parted lips. He obeys her order, and feels her warm breath on his face, then a gentle pressure on his lids and the area surrounding his eyes. He waits until the pressure releases before opening his eyes again._

_"All done," she says softly. _

_"Hinata," he moans softly, reaching for her face with the intent of pulling her face to his. She turns her face away. What?_

Sasuke's little fantasy ended when Hinata turned her face away from his hand. He felt heat rise to his face and ears. What the hell had he just done? Had he made those sounds out loud? Had he just moaned her name? The wide-eyed, but half-aroused look she was giving him made the answers to those questions seem to be the affirmative… and if those all actions had occurred then… Sasuke looked down at his lap, horror squeezing his throat. _'Oh fuck, no,'_ he thought when he saw that his body had indeed reacted to her touch and, well, his fantasy. Damn this all to hell. Well, this was awkward… what the hell did he do now?

"Ehm… I…" Sasuke started to apologize, but then cut himself short. No way in hell was he going to say sorry for… well, he just wasn't going to say sorry. "Thank you. I'll be going now," he said instead.

A quick glance in the mirror told him that the gel made his skin shine brilliantly under the light, and he knew that under the strobe lights on stage, it would look epic, especially paired with the enormous black wings that were strapped to his back. Hinata had painted an intricate design in black over his eyes that actually impressed Sasuke. He gave Hinata one last look before striding from the room.

Sasuke was thankful that he still had about ten minutes to cool himself down before stepping on stage because he would make the headlines for the wrong reasons if he went out in his present … _condition_. He was so hasty to get somewhere where he could cool down, he failed to see Hinata lean close to the mirror and exhale…

* * *

Sasuke had not expected the gel on his skin to amplify the heat of the strobe lights on stage. However, he knew that the heat, and the noise would fill him with a high that could not be beat, so he bided it out. The crowd erupted when cables lowered him onto the stage to a theme song Team 7 had built for this particular instrumental. Sasuke picked up his guitar and grasped the microphone, the chains on his spiked leather fingerless gauntlet glove jingling.

"Oyasumi, everyone," Sasuke said into the microphone, fully into his Team 7 persona, which was the cool, compelling Uchiha Sasuke. "Thank you all for coming out tonight, and for your donations to the Konoha Hospital. Team 7 is going to open the show with our newest single, _Way out Here…"_ Sasuke had to pause because the crowd heartily roared its approval. He chuckled into the microphone. "You might want to be silent for this one, guys," Sasuke said, cracking the smallest of smiles, and noting that it would be seen by everyone since enormous screens around the Konoha Stadium were magnifying his every move. "Without further ado…" he said, moving back one step.

The crowd fell silent, not wanting to miss a single note. Sakura counted off the timing with her drumsticks, then Team 7 began to play the slow, somewhat haunting opening melody. Sasuke took a step forward at his cue and tuned out everything and everyone else. It was just him, the music and the comfort of the crowd.

_I shouldn't want to take another step_

_I shouldn't want to get closer to you_

_Way out here I'm safe from your fire_

_Way out here I'm cold and lonely too_

_You have the power to totally wreck me_

_So I'm contemplating staying way out here…_

Sasuke was lost in his own world. His pain and longing entwined themselves through the words of his song, making the meaning of the lyrics plain for those that were listening. Sasuke's eyes were closed, so he didn't notice the way the couples in the crowd held each other or the expressions on the faces of his band-mates, or the grey eyes in the front row seats that couldn't move off him. He sighed into the microphone and slid into the chorus.

_I am confused…_

_I'm so conflicted…_

_It's safe way out here_

_But I hate it…_

_I hate being way out here_

Sasuke's eyes dropped to his guitar and he strummed the chords that led into the second verse. For this song, he wasn't going to look at the crowd. He wasn't going to look for her… because they had no part in this. This song was about him. His uncertainty. His fear. His feelings.

_I shouldn't need to have you to myself_

_It shouldn't hurt to be unseen by you_

_Way out here I am caught in a moment_

_Way out here you're too far for me to reach _

_But I just need you to see me_

_Maybe I shouldn't stay way out here_

Sasuke allowed his voice to break on the last line. He allowed his voice to carry the sound of his feelings farther than he could ever shout, and more effectively than he could ever explain, and what he told Ino the TV hostess became true. It was all in the music. His voice filled with the confusion that was in his soul, and rasped over the words of the chorus once more with all the pain he felt.

_I am confused_

_I'm so conflicted_

_It's safe way out here_

_But I hate it…_

_I hate being way out here_

Sasuke opened his pain filled eyes then, and the screens showed him staring out above the crowd; staring into nothing. His fingers strummed the chords of the guitar solo as if on their own, and when Kakashi's guitar joined him with a soulful croon, Sasuke got ready for the bridge, ready to belt out his slightly veiled accusation to the woman of his dreams.

_You have me trapped way out here_

_Where I'm safely hurting_

_Floating in the sea of my uncertainties_

_You're the only one with the means to save me_

_But I don't think I can be seen by you_

His cry rang out over the silent crowd, then dropped to the smooth, quiet whisper of the final line.

_Since you have me way out here…_

The end of the last line was gritty and was sung by a closed-eyed Sasuke. When the last vestiges of sound had become mere memory, Sasuke slowly opened his eyes to see a captivated crowd. For the first time in a long time, the crowd responded with applause which gradually built into a thunderous roar of approval. Sasuke blinked his thanks into the camera, finding himself unable to speak. Then, he looked into the crowd at his feet and stared into large grey eyes.

* * *

**This chapter ended up longer than I planned it! Please let me know what you think! Also, if you want more chapters, be sure to tell me, and also what you want to see happen in them. Remember to check out the poll on Sai. Do I put him as part of the band?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Woaw so many views! Hweh… you guys have made Tay-chwama very happy! Tankie!**

* * *

Sasuke was glad that _Way out Here_ was the first song. If it had been the last song, the night would have turned out so damn awkward. As it was, the mood of the crowd and the band had been a bit more uplifted by the time the Kazekage fashion show was about to start.

"You have to understand that there are certain benefits that come with having a metal show after a fashion show, Sakura," Kakashi was saying as Team 7 made their way to the VIP seats under the enormous tent that was to host the fashion show.

"What could that possibly be, 'Kashi-kun?" Sakura asked. "I mean, how many people come to this sort of thing anyway?" She turned to the side so Kakashi would stop ogling her ass.

"Tons of people come to fashion shows, Sakura. What sort of girl are you?" Kakashi answered in a scandalized tone, his disappointment at having his view of her ass obstructed evident on his face. "And, the point is not with how many people attend, but rather those models that strut their stuff… If I can get them to come to the Team 7 show after…" His sentence was cut off when Sakura slapped him on the side of the head.

"You pervert!" she yelled, struggling in vain to hold back a giggle. "How can you be thinking about getting with those models while staring at my ass… yare yare!" Kakashi only shrugged then paused. His eyes dropped to Sakura's ass again while they walked. Sasuke rolled his eyes at his perverted band-mate's actions.

"It's just… you have a really great ass, Sakura," Kakashi mumbled. Sakura laughed and flung her arm over Kakashi's neck, dragging his head down so she could grind her knuckles against his scalp. Sasuke tuned out Kakashi's cries of pain with his own thoughts.

_'Was it just me being high from the crowd, or did she really look at me?' _Sasuke mused. His chest still felt heavy every time he thought about Hinata. A flush rose to his cheeks when he thought about the scene in the dressing room. What must she have thought about him? Damn. He hoped he didn't blow it with that stunt. That was definitely not his intention… to moan and groan in front of her like a weakling… baka… Sasuke could feel his mood turning sour. Damn it all to hell.

Sasuke looked up when they stepped inside the tent to see Tsunade striding towards them with a red-headed young man in tow. Sasuke watched them make their way down the inordinately long catwalk. He was around the same height as Sasuke, but was radically different. For one, he had no eyebrows, and black kohl rimmed both pale blue-green eyes. A red tattoo of the kanji for 'love' adorned his forehead.

"There you guys are!" Tsunade called, the lightness of her tone suggesting that this guy behind her was someone she wanted them to be on their best behavior for. Kakashi and Sakura halted their perverted conversation and Naruto pulled up alongside them, his hand resting on his hip since his leather trousers were far too tight to allow his hand to fit in his pocket. "This is Sabaku no Gaara, the owner of the Kazekage line. He wanted to meet you guys. Gaara-san," she continued, turning to the red-haired designer, "meet Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto of Team 7," Tsunade said. The band members offered nods of acknowledgement, apart from Naruto who, of course, moved forward to shake the Gaara's hand.

"Woah, dude," Naruto gushed. Sasuke prepared himself to hear some form of butt-kissing. "You have, like _no_ eyebrows!" Naruto continued. Sasuke felt his body turn to board and a vein bulged in his forehead. Naruto… The designer was frowning, but he didn't look offended. On the contrary, he looked slightly confused.

"Hmm…" Gaara replied, blinking as if to clear his head. His gaze slid to Sakura. "Haruno Sakura… I want you to open my show," he said, his voice low and husky… not in an effort to seduce, but rather because that was his natural tone. It was also a tone that booked no argument. Sakura folded her arms, and Sasuke could tell that she was about to refuse by the set of her jaw, regardless of the fact that Tsunade was clearly sending huge telepathic signals demanding she do what he said. Sasuke groaned. This would be bad for the Team 7 image.

"No," Sakura said flatly. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Tsunade's face went red. Without batting an eyelid, Gaara's eyes slid to Sasuke.

"Fine. _You_ do it then," he designer said to Sasuke. Before Sasuke could even respond, Gaara turned and walked away. None of the Team 7 members could move. What the heck had just happened? Tsunade's eyes flitted from Gaara to Sakura to Sasuke, then back to Gaara.

"Ano… Sakura…" Naruto croaked. "I think he intended for Sasuke to open the show from the start." Sakura's shoulders hunched and Sasuke could tell she was really getting angry now. Kakashi continued Naruto's path of death like the clueless man that he was.

"Yeah… it's like he only asked you first because you are the girl…" Sasuke slapped his palm to his face. Did Kakashi _want_ to die? Sakura's fists were clenched tightly and her shoulders were shaking.

"Oi, Gaara," she suddenly shouted. The designer stopped, but didn't turn. "I changed my mind. I will walk in your show!" The designer barely slanted his head to one side.

"No," he returned. "I only asked because you are the girl, even though Sasuke suits the overall look better. I asked knowing you would refuse." With that, he continued walking. "Uchiha-san," he called over his shoulder. "Your outfit is in one of the dressing rooms to our left." As the designer disappeared from sight, Sasuke was torn between being pissed that Gaara was so manipulative, and amused at how he had given Sakura what she deserved for being such a damn bitch sometimes.

"Save me a seat, Sakura," Sasuke said, struggling to hold back a grin as he moved off in the direction the designer had pointed him to.

"Sasuke… I will make you regret this!" Sakura screamed at his back.

* * *

Sasuke stood in the waiting area behind the runway, feeling a bit odd at being the only male in the fashion show and hoping it would not affect how his fans viewed him. He was most definitely straight, but something like this could confuse people. He probably should have declined. At least his outfit was most certainly masculine… and it looked good in a dark, fallen angel sort of way.

He could hear Gaara outside welcoming everyone and introducing the runway show. There was a muted, polite applause coming from the viewers as Gaara left the stage. Then, at a drumroll that sounded suspiciously like Sakura's style, Sasuke stepped out from the waiting area. At first, there was stunned silence from the crowd that had gathered. However, when the background music began to play, Sasuke knew that without a doubt, this song was none other than _Thunderstorm_! This was his song. For some reason, just knowing that he would be marching to his own tune eradicated all traces of uncertainty in Sasuke.

As soon as he started to walk, the crowd erupted. Sasuke grew more confident with every step. He was halfway down the runway when he reached for the clasps that made a line down the chest of the _thing _Gaara made him wear. Gaara unclasped them all amid the feminine squeals from the crowd. By the time he had reached the end of the runway, the materal had fallen to the side, revealing his bare chest, which was still glistening a bit from the gel Hinata had put on him earlier.

_'Oh, kami, I'm so glad I work out,'_ Sasuke thought. This would be so embarrassing otherwise! Deciding he might as well go all out, Sasuke turned his head to the side in the fashion of the poster he had taken some time back – the poster that had _sold out_ – and raked his fingers through his hair. He slowly removed his hand, turned, and stalked back down the runway. He could hear his name being squealed from the corners of the tent and Sasuke had a feeling that attendance to the second part of the Team 7 show would jump, simply because he opened the Kazekage show.

Once Sasuke had done his part, he moved towards the area where the guests were seated. Sakura had saved him a seat, alright, but what a seat. Of course, he was still in the VIP area, but he was also seated to the right of none other than Hyuuga Hinata. Sasuke doubted Sakura knew what she was putting him through. There was a note on the chair.

_Cha! This is what you get for walking in the show, Chicken Butt! Sit beside a Naruto fan! I know how much you love those! _

Sasuke rolled his eyes. On any other day, Naruto fans were sort of his pet peeve… but he hadn't much of a problem sitting beside this one. Oh hell no. Sasuke took his seat beside Hinata, knowing full well that he wasn't really going to be seeing the models that walked after this. He slanted a glance at her and caught her eyes darting away from him. For some reason that made his heart jump. Had she just been looking at him?

Sasuke swallowed… or rather, he _tried_ to swallow, but his throat wasn't working. Even though it had been only about ten seconds since he had looked at her last, Sasuke found his eyes sliding towards her again. She looked away. _Oh kami._ Sasuke shifted uncomfortably in his chair, and the side of his knee brushed the side of hers. She clamped her legs together immediately. Okay, so she was definitely not impartial to him… which must have meant she noticed him...which meant he hadn't imagined her reaction to him in the dressing room earlier. Sasuke was starting to feel hot and uncomfortable. The tent was suddenly stuffy and cramped. Her arm brushed his as she shifted in her chair. Sasuke's eyes slid back to her again, only to see her staring resolutely at the models on the catwalk. Her eyes however, were blinking rapidly; she was concentrating on the models just as much as he was… which meant not at all. And that made Sasuke happy. It shouldn't make him happy. He should be over her, not hung up on her. Damn it all to hell. He would ignore her.

"Hey, would you like to come out for a drink after the show?" he heard himself say. No! No, no, no! He was supposed to be ignoring her, not asking her out!

"Okay," she whispered. Wait, _what?_ Did she just…? Sasuke felt his eyes bulge. She hadn't even played hard to get. What the hell? Sasuke inched his right hand up his chest and discreetly pinched his neck, then felt a bit stupid when the pain told him he wasn't dreaming. Sasuke was unsure how he well would perform on the second half of the show, because it was hard to concentrate on anything right about now. His gaze slid across to Hinata again, and this time he caught her eyes before she turned away. A blush rose to her cheeks, and she glanced down at her lap, breaking the eye contact. Sasuke absently realized that everyone was clapping… the fashion show was over… it was time for him to sing again… he had to get this done before she changed her mind! People were getting to their feet all around, but Sasuke and Hinata stayed seated a bit longer, their gazes sliding toward each other every few seconds.

The fashion show guests were loud, commenting on the show, but Sasuke didn't hear them.

"…suke! OI SASUKE!" Sakura was screaming at him. Damn. He hoped she didn't realize anything in particular. He couldn't afford to have her fuck this up for him. Not after he'd been waiting for so damn long.

"Hn?" he grunted, slowly looking up at her.

"We have to go, NOW," she yelled, yanking at his arm. "C'mon 233," she said, referring to Hinata by her ticket purchasing number. "You have to redo his makeup; the show will be back on in half hour. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Hinata blinked rapidly then shot to her feet.

"Y-yes, Sakura-san!" she stuttered, running off in the direction of the Arena's dressing rooms. Sakura yanked Sasuke to his feet and pushed him in the direction Hinata had just taken. Sasuke couldn't help it if he was a little out of it at the moment.

"GO!" Sakura roared in his ear. Any fog would break under a noise that loud… Sasuke blinked, then strode off to the dressing rooms. He didn't know how the hell he would manage with Hinata's hands all over him _now_.

* * *

Sasuke pushed open the door to the dressing room, feeling his heart pounding through his chest. _'Oh kami,'_ he thought. _'This time around, I had better have more control over my body. I do not need to be boning up again…'_ Sasuke stiffened his resolve. They were changing the look for part two of the show. For Sasuke's look at least, he would no longer be wearing the wings he had worn for part one but was going almost completely bare-chested this time. Also, the luminescent gel from earlier was going to be replaced with a black grease.

Hinata was standing beside the stool when he entered. He walked over to her, feeling like he should say something, but not knowing what to say. Instead, he peeled off the outfit Gaara's people had put on him. He struggled not to be proud when she gasped a little at his bared torso. He sat on the chair, making eye contact with her in the mirror.

"Ano… Sasuke-kun… you did well tonight," she said, so softly he almost thought he imagined it. He almost smiled, but he wouldn't let her off that easy.

"Thank you. Gaara-san kinda sprung it on me," he said instead, trying to distract himself because if he watched her with that damn cotton square again…

"Really? I would never have been able to tell," Hinata replied, her voice still quiet. She was so close there was no need to be louder in any case… Sasuke kicked himself mentally. Why the hell did he go and think that now? He swallowed when the cool square pressed to his forehead.

"Yeah," Sasuke said, the word barely eking out of his suddenly dry throat. He had to swallow before continuing. "The red haired bastard wouldn't even give me an opportunity to think about it." His throat went dry again, but this time because she was leaning towards him and… okay fine, she had a great chest. Sasuke couldn't seem to get his eyes to look anywhere else on her anatomy at the moment.

"Really? That would not have been fair to a less talented person," Hinata said, wiping the cool cotton square down the column of his neck. Sasuke had to name the constellations in alphabetical order to prevent himself from moaning. This shouldn't be turning him on, but it wasn't fair for her to compliment him while doing what she was doing. That was low.

"Mmm…" Sasuke said… well he was supposed to say something, but he groaned instead. "It… it was…" Sasuke couldn't remember the stars… nor could he remember what he was supposed to be saying. All he was aware of was that her cleaning him with that blasted cotton square was turning him on… and it shouldn't… he should be stronger than this! She was cleaning the remnants of the clear gel from his stomach now, one hand on his upper thigh to steady herself. That was not the best place for her to be touching right now, considering Sasuke wanted to avoid getting turned on. The room was so warm it was uncomfortable. Sasuke swallowed.

"It was… what?" Hinata asked. How dare she do this to him and then sound so innocent!

"Unfair," Sasuke gasped, his chest heaving. No. She was unfair. How could she be so damn calm while doing this to him? She stepped away from him, and Sasuke relaxed a little. She turned her back to him, tinkering in her case. Sasuke took the moment to take a few calming breaths. He was almost back to normal when she turned round with a small tub of black oil in her hand. Sasuke would have asked for some time if he had less pride… or if they didn't have to get him ready to get to the show in twenty minutes.

She dipped her hand into the tub and rubbed her hands together. Sasuke licked his suddenly dry lips. Instead of staying to the side like she had when she was cleaning his skin, Hinata walked right between his legs and rested her hands on his shoulders. When she began to spread the slick oil over his chest and neck, Sasuke forced himself to look at the ceiling and count the flecks of paint that had made it up there. He lost count at five due to lack of concentration.

_Don't you dare look at her,'_ he commanded himself. It was really dumb of him to say that to himself when he was already looking at her. And it was impossible for him to stop after her eyes drifted upwards to meet his. One moment Sasuke was licking his lips again and attempting to take calming breaths and the next moment he was crushing his lips to hers. This time was different to the last time… by far.

Her hands, slick with oil, slid over his shoulder and clasped the back of his neck. His mouth parted over hers, and when she responded in kind, Sasuke had to grip the side of the stool to avoid wrapping his arms around her. Even in his lust-clouded mind, he knew that if he touched her any more than he was now, he wouldn't make it to the show. And with that in mind, he forced himself to pull back.

"You had better not stand me up," he whispered against her lips. Her grey eyes opened, and met his. They were still close enough to cause their slightly heavy breaths to mingle. Her eyes fluttered down to his lips, and Sasuke gave in with a small groan. It wasn't really like he could help it. He pressed his lips to her parted ones and sucked her tongue into his mouth. She gasped softly and pulled away from him, her breathing uneven. Sasuke immediately pressed his lips to her cheek, dragging them across her skin until he was at the place where her jaw met her neck.

"You'll be late for the show," she gasped, but her hands were still holding him to her. Sasuke chuckled.

"If you're that anxious for me to get to the show, you might want to consider letting me go…" Hinata gasped, let his neck go, and took two steps back. Sasuke watched as she visibly took deep breaths to calm herself down.

"Maybe it's best if you do your chest, and I do your back…" she said, her voice low and a bit shaky. Sasuke nodded mutely. Really, it would be best if she didn't touch him again, but there was no way in _hell_ he would be the one to tell her that.

* * *

Sasuke didn't know how he got through the makeup session with Hinata, or the show after that, but the crowds had cheered just as loudly as they normally did, the paparazzi had been just as dogged, and the fans had been just as psyched. Now was the time Sasuke had been waiting for. Sasuke had already turned down the invitation to the celebratory dinner that Gaara had extended. He had asked Hinata out for drinks, but maybe alcohol was not a good idea tonight… not with his control as frazzled as it was. No… food would be a better idea… with a table to separate them.

He found Hinata at the dressing rooms, packing up her materials. Making sure to stay as far as possible from her so he didn't wreck the night, Sasuke stood in the doorway, his hand gripping the doorjamb for extra resolve.

"Hey, I am going to go home and, uh… get cleaned up. Do you want me to pick you up, or…? Hinata looked up when he spoke.

"Um, okay. Maybe we should meet there?" she suggested. Sasuke was a little disappointed, but he supposed it was for the best. That way, if the date turned out horrible, they wouldn't have to suffer through a car ride home together.

"Okay. Let's go to the new tempura place…?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn't want her to feel in any way uncomfortable. Fortunately, she smiled.

"Sure! I have wanted to go there since it opened up!" she exclaimed… or she would have exclaimed if her voice wasn't so soft and whispery. Sasuke's hand tightened on the doorjamb. _'Don't think of her voice when you're trying so hard to stay _away. _It won't help you one bit!' _Sasuke scolded himself inwardly.

"Alright. I'll meet you there," he said, before ducking out of the room. As his the sound of his steps echoed down the empty hallway, Sasuke allowed himself a small smile.

_'She looked at me,'_ he thought. _'I can't believe she looked at me.' _ Sasuke also allowed himself to admit that he was really looking forward to the next few hours.

* * *

**AN:- Yes, yes, this chapter should have come out faster… sorry. Don't kill me! And yes, if you guys want another chapter, the date will be in it. That said, please tell me what you thought of this chapter! Not really going off a plot, and you guys said you wanted her to see him and give him a chance, hence my idea for this chapter! Sorry there was no song this time. Please review (^_^)!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I am so pleased that you all seem to like the story! I am seriously psyched! Someone asked whether or not the storyline will be done soon. The answer is, I have no idea. I was not really going off a plot, but rather whatever you guys ask for. I may include some twists to keep things interesting, but ultimately the suggestions you guys make can keep the story going! (^_^) Thank you so very much for the reviews!**

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Sasuke shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and forced himself not to keep looking longingly up the road. She said she would come, so he had to just wait, right. _'I've been waiting for ages!' _Sasuke thought. _'Is she coming, or what?'_ He glanced at his watch for the umpteenth time since he had arrived… only one minute had passed since the last time he had checked. Time was moving a bit too slowly for Sasuke. Without his permission, his eyes drifted up the road. There was no Hinata. _'I can't believe I didn't give her a specific time!'_ Sasuke railed inwardly. Damn this all to hell. Now there was no telling how long he would have to wait. How long would it take her to simply drive, or even walk, over from the Arena? It shouldn't be this long!

Sasuke leaned his back against the exterior wall of the new Tempura restaurant and slid his eyes shut. Maybe if he didn't keep looking for her, she would arrive in a timelier manner. The quick stepping patter of feet caught his attention and his eyes opened immediately. _Hinata?_

It wasn't Hinata. Sasuke scowled and closed his eyes again, only to open them when a breathy voice called his name.

"Sasuke-kun?" This time it was Hinata. Sasuke felt a bit floored when he saw her. He did, however, understand why she had taken so inordinately long to arrive. Hyuuga Hinata had gone and dressed up for their date. Why that pleased Sasuke so much, apart from the fact that her slim-fitting black dress exposed a decent yet classy amount of her cleavage and the creamy skin of her calves, he didn't know. "Did I keep you waiting?" Hinata asked, worry evident in her tone and in the way she rubbed circles on her small black purse with her fingertips.

"No, not long," Sasuke said, even though he knew otherwise. Suddenly, the fifteen minutes he had been waiting didn't seem all _that_ long. "You look… nice," he managed to say, sounding lame to his own ears, but not really knowing what else to say. He couldn't afford to mess this date up; he'd been waiting for this for far too long. Besides, girls liked compliments, right? And ladies with class didn't want to be told how damn sexy they looked right of the bat, right? Or was that a common misconception? In any case, Sasuke decided to play it safe.

"Th-thank you," she replied hesitantly, smiling and sneaking a glance at his face. "You look nice as well, Sasuke-kun." No. Not next to her, he didn't. He should have put more effort into his appearance, shouldn't he? His eyes were glued to her. _Damn, _but she looked great.

"Let's go inside?" Sasuke suggested, shaking his head a bit to clear the strange fog she seemed to have put in his brain and offering his arm. It didn't clear but he was trying not to ogle her too much. Sasuke found himself wishing he could stop time, and just look at her… but he couldn't, so he cursed himself for even thinking of such a thing. When Hinata slid her small hand into the crook of his elbow, Sasuke felt his heartbeat give one slow heavy thud… then it began to race. Sasuke cleared his throat in an effort to make his breathing a bit less difficult. It worked, but only marginally.

The air-conditioned air of the restaurant hit them with a cool draft, which Sasuke was quite thankful for; maybe this would help him keep his head level tonight. It was hard enough as it was, without heat to add to his struggles.

"Sir," the restaurant host said, looking up at the two of them as they entered. A look of pure masculine appreciation lit the host's eyes when he saw Hinata, and Sasuke felt a burning protective urge race through his veins. He eased Hinata's hand from his elbow and slid a possessive arm around her waist while leveling a stony glare at the host.

"Uchiha, party of two," he grunted at the man who nodded quickly and called up a waitress to show them the way. The waitress, a pretty red-head slid her eyes over Sasuke's body, obviously liking what she saw. This time, it was Hinata's turn to mark her territory and Sasuke felt his ribcage expand in pleasure at the notion when Hinata slid a possessive hand over his chest. The waitress blinked, and took a figurative step back. Sasuke fought his grin tooth and nail. The waitress showed them to a small, elegantly set table in the far, somewhat darkened area of the restaurant.

After seating them, the waitress laid two menus on the table and left them.

"Ano… Sasuke-kun… my menu has no prices on it," Hinata said softly, a faint reddish tint to her cheeks. Sasuke looked up without raising his head and smiled.

"That's because the lady isn't supposed to worry about prices," he returned, his smile evident in his voice. He was happy and he damned well didn't care if she knew. "So, what do you feel to eat?"

"Well, it's all tempura, so… tempura, I guess?" she replied with a small giggle. Sasuke had to remind himself that certain thoughts, especially those concerning naughty giggles, were not to be entertained at the table. He did, however, chuckle at her joke.

"How about you order for me?" Hinata suggested. "I honestly don't know which one to try and…" Sasuke raised a brow. She… she wanted him to order for her? He didn't know why he felt so… well, pleased… he wasn't used to being in this type of situation. Sasuke couldn't remember the last time he'd actually taken a girl out. Oh, he'd had lots of sex; it came with the territory, but to actually wine and dine with someone was a little out of his comfort zone.

"I can try," Sasuke mumbled, looking at the menu with new eyes. "If you don't like the one I get you, you can always order a different one… or share mine." The movements at the other side of the table stopped abruptly after that statement. Sasuke felt a nervous bead of sweat form at his temple. Why the hell did he have to suggest that? Was that the wrong thing to say?

"Really?" Hinata breathed. Sasuke forced himself to brave up and look at her, and was shocked to see that he'd somehow impressed her… judging from the way her eyes were shining.

"Y-yeah," he said, ducking his head behind his menu before she could see the red he _knew_ was darkening his cheeks. The waitress chose that moment to make her appearance and Sasuke ordered for them both. When she left, Sasuke turned to Hinata again. He had to make conversation now, right? Blast… he wasn't very good at talking… especially now that he'd rather be just looking at her.

"Do your parents still live in Konoha?" he asked randomly, not really knowing what else he could say that wouldn't maybe come off as suggestive. Parents should be a safe topic, right? Wrong. Her eyes misted over.

"No… well… they both… they both passed on around two years ago. Car accident. I've been living by myself since," she said, blinking rapidly.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke replied, kicking himself mentally. Of all the things he had to think of to say… UGH! Outwardly, he reached across the table and covered her hand with his.

"Oh, it's okay," she said, giving him a small smile. "I am slowly but surely getting used to the fact that they're gone." She paused for a moment, then looked up at Sasuke. _Kami_ she was beautiful. "What about yours?" Oh hell, bad topic.

"Eh… mine kinda walked out on me… I guess I wasn't the easiest kid to take care of… what with my big brother in the army and everything… I kinda went a bit haywire." In reality, it wasn't that easy to think or speak about, but no way was Sasuke going to tell her how it really was. Hell no.

"That must have been really hard on you. No parent should walk out on their kid, no matter how difficult the situation is," Hinata said in the firmest tone Sasuke had heard from her since knowing her. He blinked.

"Yeah…" Sasuke forced himself to think about what was happening now. Here. "I got through it, I guess. My brother will be back soon, so it will be kinda good to see him…" Sasuke's voice trailed off as he became increasingly aware of the warmth against his fingers. He looked down to see that Hinata had laced her fingers through his on the table. It was suddenly a bit harder to breath. He wanted to just stay there, in that moment… however that was not to be, because the waitress chose that moment to reappear with the plates of steaming tempura and the restaurant's own special dipping sauce.

Sasuke had ordered the shrimp tempura for Hinata, and the vegetable and sweetfish tempura for himself. Sasuke scowled inwardly at the thought that he would have to let go of her hand to eat. He didn't really want to move his hand. Not in the least. Hinata smiled and pulled back her hand first.

"Itadakimasu," they chorused, snapping their chopsticks apart.

"Uwaah, Sasuke-kun! This is _so_ good!" Hinata's breathy exclamation came as such a surprise, Sasuke didn't have time to drag his mind out of the gutter. Oh yes, Sasuke's mind went _there_. He could hardly be blamed, because Hinata's gustatory appreciation for the food could easily be compared with another, more carnal appreciation. "Oh, mmmm, Sasuke, you know _exactly_ what I like!" Sasuke nearly choked on the piece of tempura he had been about to swallow. The restaurant's air-conditioning seemed not to be working any more… or was it his skin that was that hot all by itself?

_'No, no, no! Not like this, not here! Uchiha Sasuke, you are NOT allowed to get turned on by the way she… Oh kami, does she HAVE to eat like that?'_ Sasuke moaned inwardly when Hinata's lips closed over the piece of tempura, and her eyes slid shut in appreciation. A soft moan of pleasure escaped her throat. Sasuke's heart was thudding in his chest, and his whole face began to burn when her tongue flicked out to lick the excess sauce off her upper lip. His vision blurred slightly, but he was jerked away from what would have proven to be a heated fantasy when her knee bumped his under the table. Oh damn, this was real.

Their gazes connected over the table, and at first, Sasuke wondered if the heat in her expression came from his imagination, but when a reddish glow rose to her cheeks he knew he wasn't dreaming. This was real. Sasuke lost his appetite at that precise moment… for the tempura at least. Oh yes, he was hungering for something completely different at the moment.

"D'you wanna get out of here? Go for a walk, maybe?" Sasuke heard himself croak. Wait, was that _his_ voice? He needed to get out of this damn restaurant. He didn't know what he would do if her knees kept bumping his under the table… or if her eyes kept meeting his with those heated little stares… or if their fingertips kept touching every few moments. He reached for the glass of water and took a sip, suddenly thirsty.

"O-okay," she replied, her voice just as throaty as his had been. Sasuke could feel his heartbeat pulsing in his temples… in his chest… in his…

An insistent jingle sliced through the mood. It was coming from Hinata's purse.

"I'm sorry… I have to take this," she muttered, blinking rapidly. Sasuke nodded mutely. Maybe he could recover enough to be a normal, functioning human being again by the time the call was over. His thoughts were interrupted when Hinata squealed loudly then clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Sai?" she squealed again, less loudly this time. "Oh, Sai, it's been ages! I thought I'd never hear from you again!" Sasuke felt a niggling discomfort settling in his stomach. Who was she getting so excited over? Sai did not sound like a female name… which could only mean… NO. Maybe, it was a female. "What? You still have that key I gave you?... Of course it still works…" she was chuckling now, all ease and familiarity with this Sai. Whoever _she_ was, she was starting to wreck his date. The discomfort grew.

Sasuke wanted to say something, but it would be impolite. He wanted to snatch that phone away from her and break it. He wasn't anywhere near ready to share her attention with anyone else. Damn this all to hell and back.

"Okay, okay," Hinata said, and from her tone, Sasuke knew she was winding up the call. Finally. "Alright, I will try! I promise."

_'No,'_ Sasuke was thinking. _'Don't promise her anything. Not tonight. Not on our date.'_ Hinata ended the call and turned to Sasuke, her face bright and her eyes happy.

"Sasuke, I am really sorry. My old … friend, Sai… well he turned up at my house. He's in Konoha… he says he has something big planned and I have to come now." Sasuke felt an odd weight settle in his stomach, and felt himself retracting into himself. This could not be happening. Not when he finally had a date!

"Do you really have to go now?" he asked, hating himself for sounding so damn needy, but the question needed to be asked. If she really didn't have to leave right now, her bastard friend could wait, right?

"I am sorry, yeah," she said, but her giggle didn't make her sound sorry. "He said he is going to burn my… well… my underwear if I don't go home now… and Sai… well when he wants something, he gets it so… I… I have to go… but," she paused her rambling to fish around in her purse. She took out a pen and a notepad, scribbled her number on it and handed the paper to Sasuke. "Call me later tonight, okay? I really have to go now," she finished hurriedly. Sasuke felt the mood he was in crash and burn. She could not be doing this to him! Not on their date!

As she got up from the table and half-ran from the restaurant, Sasuke crushed the paper with her number on it in his fist. Realizing what he had done, he quickly smoothed it out, folded it and tucked it into his pocket. The fact that she had left him, all excited to meet with some other guy, made Sasuke unable to even feel the slightest bit happy that he had her number. _'Why me?'_ was all he could think. For every step forward he seemed to take with her, circumstances seemed to push him two steps backwards. Sasuke sighed in disappointment, balled his napkin in his fist and tossed it on the table in utter frustration. Then he rang for the waitress. He needed to escape this damn table. Damn it all to hell.

After paying the bill, Sasuke left the tempura restaurant as swiftly as he could, longing to get home where maybe he could mellow out his frustration with a few beers before maybe calling Hinata later.

* * *

Hours later Sasuke was in his darkened room, sitting on his bed with a beer in one hand, the paper with Hinata's number in the other hand, and his cellular phone beside him on the bed. The only light in the room came from the screen of his phone. He had been in that position for the past half hour, debating calling Hinata. Would she even be awake now? It was really quite late. But she had said he should call her. Finally giving in to his need to hear her speaking to him, and only him, Sasuke picked up the phone and dialed her number – quickly before he lost his nerve.

The phone rang for what felt like ages, then a male voice answered.

"Hello, this is Sai on Hinata's phone. Hinata is unavailable at the moment…" girlish titters filtered through the phone and there was the sound of a struggle. "Hello?" the masculine voice came again after a moment, slightly breathless this time. Sasuke felt a dull pain in his jaw and realized he was clenching his teeth. Without even thinking about it, he threw his phone against the wall with such force that it dismantled and clattered to the floor, plunging the room into darkness. Sasuke reached across to his bedside lamp, turned it on and rummaged around for a pen and paper. He swallowed the rest of his beer with one gulp and dropped the bottle on the floor.

_'Fuck you, Sai, whoever the hell you are. I did not come this far to have you screw this up for me.' _ Sasuke reached for the pen and paper.

He began to write, feeling the beginnings of a song inside himself... and it wasn't a ballad.

_This is war._

* * *

**AAh! I would write more if I had more time today, but I didn't. I know you might have wanted a lovely, sweet first date, but it didn't seem to fit somehow. That said, I would love to know what you think of this chapter, so please review if you have the time! And wish me luck on my exams! (^_^)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey yall! I have no idea when I will be able to update again, what with the hurricane approaching my lovely Jamaican island... urk... we're talking no internet... which sucks. That said, thank you all for the reviews, favourites and follows! They mean so much to me and keep me going! I feel so awesome cuz of all the views and the compliments... *hearts radiate from my body* u fu fu fu fu (#^_^#)! Here goes!**

****SPECIAL A/N:- Special thanks to risen truth ruthless lies, the theme song for this chapter is: 'Carnival of Rust' – by – Poets of the Fall ****

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Sasuke awakened to the smell of alcohol and an insistent pounding on his front door, or was that his splitting headache? It was hard to tell... He squinted his eyes against the onslaught of light, that seemed to be attacking him from the window, and grimaced against the pain. Sasuke covered his face with his pillow and groaned, gingerly rising into sitting position on his bed. He slid one foot to the floor, and the resulting crackle of paper under his sole had him scowling at the floor, only to see a virtual carpet of crushed papers of discarded song lyrics.

Empty beer bottles were also strewn about the floor and his bedside table was in complete disarray. _'What the hell...?'_ Sasuke thought in the midst of his post-waking disorientation. He slowly put his other foot on the floor, any sudden movements causing intense pain to his head. This was a hangover if he'd ever had one... and he'd had plenty. How much had he drunk last night anyway?

Sasuke slowly got to his feet, swaying slightly. He slowly shuffled to his bedroom door, one hand holding his pillow to his face to block the light and the other extended outwards in front him, feeling for any face-level obstacles into which he might potentially collide. His toe slammed into the side of one damned piece of bedroom furniture... Sasuke didn't know which, since he absolutely refused to open his eyes unless there was coffee.

"Fuck," he grunted in pained annoyance, already in a seriously irritable mood. He danced around the furniture on one foot, then immediately regretted the action due to the ensuing pain. He finally got to the door and felt for the knob.

_'Time to bite the fur of this fricking dog,´_ Sasuke thought, scowling as he made his way to the kitchen and fumbled around in his liquor closet for the bottle of vodka he kept for these occasions... namely those hangovers that made it too damned hard to wait for coffee to brew. He was managing to pour the clear liquor into a small glass with his eyes squinted against any form of light when his telephone rang.

The shrill ringing sound sent an instant wave of pain directly to Sasuke's skull, and he gritted his teeth, almost falling over himself in an effort to reach the phone as quickly as possible to prevent the noise from continuing.

"Nnn...?" He growled into the phone, too damned hung over to attempt forming coherent words without them being absolutely necessary.

"SASUKE!" Kakashi yelled into the phone, his voice so loud it did strange things to Sasuke's vision. Without pause, Sasuke slammed the phone back on the base. Damn him. The phone began to ring insistently again. Sasuke picked it up again.

"What?" he snapped.

"You're late... and you're using your hangover voice. Why are you using your hangover voice? What happened last night?" Kakashi returned without pause, even at Sasuke's clearly grumpy voice.

"Argh, bad date. What am I late for?" Sasuke said, taking a drink of the vodka in his glass.

"Yeah, so we have that audition meeting today. This guy is supposed to be some pianist or other... we're taking bets as to whether or not we will even remember his name after his audition." Sasuke only listened to Kakashi with half of his available brain-power... his mind was on other matters... namely his botched date the night before. If his attempt at song writing had gotten anywhere, his room would not have looked like it did. It wasn't surprising, considering that writing while so drunk he couldn't think would most likely not yield any results. A persistent disappointment had settled upon his chest with an iron weight, and frankly, Sasuke didn't want to go to listen to some guy try to play the piano to metal.

"Mmm..." he mumbled absently.

"You didn't hear a word I said, did you? Just hurry up and get over to th man," Kakashi said, his tone booking no argument. "Fix yourself up and get on over here... or I will make you regret it," Kakashi finished. Sasuke rolled his eyes, knowing full well that his silver-haired band-mate would make good on his threat.

* * *

Sasuke slid into the recording room, hoping the others wouldn't notice how damned late he was. The rest of Team 7 was lined off watching the pianist in the sound-proofed room. Apparently he hadn't started playing yet, as he was still simply running his fingers along the keys of the baby grand that was in the room. The guy looked a lot like Sasuke, but had slightly less distinctive features and wide solemn eyes. His skin was pale, but not sickly, and a grey derby hat sat atop his head, tilted slightly askance.

The pianist played a gentle chord, and then another, and another, with each chord a bit more pronounced than the one before it. Sasuke put one of the four studio headphones available over his ears and watched the pianist get into what he was doing. After the introductory chords, the pianist's fingers were flying over the keys with a definite metal edge. Then, he began to sing.

_I stand ten feet tall by myself_

_Yet I shrink around everyone else_

_I've been scorned and I've been hurt_

_I've let myself get dragged in dirt_

His voice then rose, and the melody became somewhat haunting. Sasuke felt as if he had heard this voice before... this strangely familiar solemnity...

_But no matter how hard my life may seem_

_There is always someone worse than me_

_At least I can still dream_

_Although I know, whatever will be will be_

The pianist's fingers rippled through a series of notes and chords that managed to maintain the significant heaviness of a metal sequence and he moved on to the second verse.

_There are people that leave me_

_Some people won't ever go._

_But sometimes I wonder if it's bad or good_

_Why people don't treat me like I think that they should_

He banged into the chorus again, eyes squeezed shut as he played, obviously lost in his own world.

_But no matter how hard my life may seem_

_There is always someone worse than me_

_At least I can still dream_

_Although I know, whatever will be will be_

The pianist tossed his head back as he moved into the bridge, and the song changed keys.

_I ask myself... but answers are hard to find_

He breathed the line as he bent his forward, his voice carrying a certain rasp to it that wasn't found in just _any _voice.

_Why is it that only when I'm alone... I SHINE?_

He belted out suddenly, his back hunching as he pounded his long, slim fingers along the keys of the piano.

_But no matter how hard my life may seem..._

_I can still dream..._

_Whatever will be... will be_

_Whatever will be will be..._

He finished the song with a haunting melody whose notes rang in the air even after he leaned away from the piano.

"He's good," Sasuke admitted, already knowing that the pianist could have a place in Team 7, and would give them a unique sound. Also, the heavy guitars could actually complement the piano's sound. "What's his name?" Kakashi didn't even turn around as he was studying the young man.

"His name is Sai," the band leader said, looking at the potential addition to the band.

* * *

Sasuke was sitting on the curb wall outside the KIS, contemplating his options. He had walked out of the room as soon as he heard the name, because he _knew_ who this guy was. After all, this was the same Sai that had been at Hinata's house last night, right? His options were not easy to choose from. He could accept this guy to Team 7 like Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura had begged, but then he would have to deal with him all the time, and face the issue of Hinata's focus again. However, he could refuse, but then he would most likely loose whatever ground he had made.

_'Argh! Which one do I choose, and how can I choose? Damn this all to hell!' _Sasuke groaned inwardly.

After almost an hour of contemplation, Sasuke was getting nowhere. He decided to leave it to fate. Standing he turned around and almost walked right into Sakura, who was clearly pissed off.

"What's up with you, Sasuke?" the pink-haired drummer demanded, her hands on her hips. "The guy is clearly amazing, yet you are behaving like it's something to even consider, when it's clearly not." Sasuke scowled at her.

"When you don't know a man's reasons for what he does, don't pretend that you do, Sakura." Sasuke walked towards the front door of the KIS, pausing when he was shoulder to shoulder with Sakura. "Let's take him and his song to a live show. If the crowd is impressed, we will keep him. If not, Sai goes. I have to think of the band and not just what sounds good to me." It was a justification rather than an actual opinion, Sasuke knew, but there was no way he was going to let Sakura figure that out. This was war, and there were other ways that a man could fight than direct contact. Wanting something and actually working to get it were two different things, and Sasuke knew that maybe he needed to just come right out and be a man... he needed to face this.

* * *

Sasuke stared at the new phone on his bed - his old one was totalled - which was sending telepathic messages, begging him to pick it up and just make the damned call. Patience had never been his strong suit, but he had to do this... he had to wait for Hinata, even though he wanted her _now. _He reached forward and dialled the number, his heart thudding a bit as he waited for someone to pick up. He was ready to tell Sai that he didn't care if Hinata was indisposed or not; he wanted to talk to her _now_. However, when the line picked up, Hinata's breathy voice came over the receiver.

"Hello?" Sasuke found it difficult to speak, but he had newfound determination. He would do this.

"Hey, Hinata? I'ts Sasuke," he said into the phone, hoping she wouldn't realize how inexplicably nervous he was.

"Sasuke? You actually called!" she said. "When you didn't call last night, I thought..." Sasuke didn't allow her to finish.

"I did call last night, but I didn't get through to you." There was a moment of silence on the line.

"Oh," she said, her voice tiny, containing a small hint of relief that, though she tried to mask it, Sasuke still picked up on.

"Hey, I was wondering if maybe... we could try that dating thing again...? I'm not quite good at it, but I've wanted to go out with you for some time now and... there's this great okonomiyaki place near club Ichiraku and-" Sasuke's sentence was cut short.

"Yes," she interrupted. "I am really sorry about last night! I was such an idiot, it's just I hadn't seen Sai in years and..." she paused her rambling, and Sasuke actually found himself smiling a bit at her flustered speech.

"It's alright. Just promise if your phone rings on this date, you won't answer it," Sasuke said, chuckling softly... but with an undertone of seriousness that he knew she would pick up on.

"I promise," she said into the phone, and her breathy whisper had Sasuke struggling not to send the conversation in a whole other direction. Relaxing now that she had agreed to go on the do-over date, Sasuke reclined on the bed and stared at a random spot on the ceiling of his room.

"So, maybe six o'clock tomorrow evening and maybe we can go get some ice-cream afterwards?" Sasuke asked, unable to keep the tinge of hopefulness from leaking into his tone.

"Un! Six is fine," Hinata replied... then there was silence.

For a moment, there was silence over the line, and Sasuke knew he had to think of something to say before it got too awkward, which could ruin their date before it even started. But _what to say?_ All the thoughts in his head were quite inappropriate, and they refused to leave. However, he really wanted to keep her on the line... he stuck an imaginary hand into an imaginary bag – his brain – and pulled out a random thought.

"I... uh... I notice you at all of Team 7's stage shows," he suddenly blurted, then slapped his hand to his forehead. Of all the random, addlepated lines he had to pick from, he had to come up with _that_ one? Sasuke could feel his face beginning to burn.

"Really?" Hinata sighed. "But you're on stage... and there are so many people..."

"I guess it's because..." Sasuke started, then when the fear of her laughing at him or something equally horrific caused his heart to race and his fist to clench, Sasuke chickened out. "Oh, never mind," he finished softly.

"Tell mee," Hinata squeaked into the receiver. She sounded so cute. But not cute enough for Sasuke to spill the beans.

"No, I ... it's..." Sasuke sighed in defeat. "Please, it's nothing," he said, scrambling for some other random topic he could change the subject to.

"Sasuke-kun... please?" Hinata begged with a soft, pleading tone that made Sasuke glad he was already lying down... because his bones turned to jelly. He couldn't resist a tone like that, now could he? "C'mon, please?" she asked again, and Sasuke's heart gave a funny little skip.

"I... I guess it's because I always look ... for you," he finally said, his voice low. He hated how afraid he felt. There was a moment of stunned silence on Hinata's part, then he heard her breath hitch a tiny bit.

"I... I don't know what to say, Saskue-kun~...That's so sweet." Sasuke heard a muffled squeal on the other end of the line.

"Hinata... are you alright?" he asked, slightly worried... worried that she had been attacked... or that Sai had... that Sai had... Thankfully, he didn't have to finish the heinous thought since Hinata giggled sheepishly over the line.

"Oh... you heard that? You... you weren't supposed to..." she laughed softly. "You weren't really supposed to hear that," she finished. Sasuke felt a partially relived, partially amused smile stretch his lips.

"Do I get extra points if I pretend I didn't?" he mumbled into the phone, grin still in place. He cradled the back of his head on his open palm.

"Pretend you didn't and let's see," Hinata parried, her voice lowering as well.

"You drive a hard deal, woman. How about you give me one point now, as incentive, and the other when I follow through on our deal?" Sasuke countered. He heard Hinata chuckle.

"That works for me," Hinata said over a giggle as she attempted to sound as if she was serious about the trade-off. "What are points going to be in this trade?" Sasuke didn't have to think twice.

"You have to say something nice about me," Sasuke said, delaying his response a bit so he wouldn't come across as eager as he felt. Another muffled squeak came over the line. "You aren't allowed to be chicken," Sasuke continued, grinning. "Or I will never forget that you squealed over the phone, and I _heard_ you."

"Okaay, okay!" Hinata groaned. "Um… first point… I think you have a beautiful voice… especially in that song, _Way out Here…_ Okay I said it! So now you have to forget about the squeal!" Sasuke felt a little shiver of pleasure course through him.

"What squeal?" he mumbled. He waited about three seconds then smiled into the silence over the phone. "Don't even attempt to escape that second point…" He heard Hinata growl something unintelligible before she spoke again.

"You have a great … um…" Sasuke gulped as her voice trailed off, and an immediate flash of memory of the scene before his performance of _Way out Here_ marched through his mind. Was she going to say what he thought she might possibly say? "… a great figure… like, muscles and stuff…" she finished, her voice muffled. Sasuke scraped his mind out of the gutter with a metal spatula… the damn thing was persistently sticking down there.

"Mmm, do tell," Sasuke continued with a smile.

"N-no I won't!" Hinata squealed, and Sasuke could very vividly imagine a blush rising to her cheeks.

_'Finally,' _he thought. _'This finally feels like I am getting somewhere…'_

* * *

Sunday morning dawned bright and early, but Sasuke was not awake to see it. Having stayed up until the wee hours of the morning talking to Hinata, Sasuke ended up sleeping in. When he did wake, it was well after midday. It was funny how one day, one woman, could make such a difference in Sasuke's early morning moods. Sasuke stretched, hearing and feeling the vertebrae in his back snap into place. He had five hours until it would be time to leave for Celestia, the okonomiyaki restaurant. It seemed too long.

Sasuke got out of bed and showered, then sat on his bed, clad only in his towel, and stared at the clock. Maybe if he glared at it, the hands would move faster. They didn't. Sasuke scowled. He needed to find something to do to pass the time. Feeling too lazy to walk all the way to his chest of drawers to find underwear, Sasuke simply bunched the towel over his slim hips and rummaged in his drawer for his pen and paper. He sat cross-legged on his bed, pulled a large pillow onto his lap and began to write. Maybe song-writing would burn some of this damned time that stood between him and his date.

_(This is war)_

_Arm yourselves and step in line_

_(This is a war)_

_The drum is beating, keep in time_

_(This is war)_

_ 1. Don't expect me to freeze or drown_

_(In fear)_

_Cuz' I will frickin' take you down_

_ (This is war) _

_This soldier fears nothing; no man, no gun_

_(Nor you)_

_I'll take you down and I'll have fun_

_(This is war)_

_CH_

_(This is war)_

_Arm yourselves and step in line_

_(This is war)_

_The drums are beating, keep in time_

_(This is war)_

_2. I will storm the beaches, carry the flame_

_(No fear)_

_I will drown you in your own damn shame_

_ (This is war) _

_I fear nothing; not anyone, not you_

_(Fuck you)_

_I will defeat you, this much is true_

_(This is war)_

_CH_

_(This is war)_

_Arm yourselves and step in line_

_(This is war)_

_The drums are beating, keep in time_

_(This is war) x3_

_This is fucking war!_

Sasuke stared at the paper. He already had a tune in his head. He looked at the clock. Exactly twenty minutes had passed. Damn. At least he had a song. If _Whatever Will Be_ by Sai, featuring Team 7, didn't kick off like he presumed it would, then, maybe this song could at least appease the crowd a bit. Sasuke sighed and flopped backwards on his bed. Time was moving too damn slow!

* * *

Six o'clock found Sasuke at Celestia, waiting for Hinata by the door. He would give her five minutes before he'd allow himself to be impatient. He didn't have to wait that long, for the dark-blue haired young woman approached him no less than two minutes later. If Sasuke thought that the black dress she had worn to the last date looked great, what she was wearing this time was even more so.

A series of wide, pale grey elastic straps wrapped across her upper torso, baring small patches of skin at her sides and back. A wide skirt of a darker grey streamed from the lower hem of the elastic straps, flaring out to brush her thighs right above the knees.

"Damn," Sasuke couldn't resist saying… no, it wasn't really that he couldn't resist it; it was more like it slipped from lips he had forgotten about. Her dark-blue hair cascaded down her shoulders like a silken curtain, and Sasuke wished he could just sink his fingers into the strands and kiss her senseless. She smiled shyly, and Sasuke knew he was staring dumbly at her, but he couldn't seem to pull himself together.

"Wanna go inside for some of that okonomiyaki? I can smell it from here," Hinata suggested. Sasuke nodded mutely and placed his hand at the small of her back so he could guide her inside. The exposed skin at the small of her back was cool against his palm, but her arm was warm where it brushed against his chest. Sasuke led her to the door and pushed it open with his free hand.

Sasuke led Hinata to a table in the back of the store, particularly because it was private and very romantic… or at least, his idea of romantic, meaning dimly lit.

"Do you know how to make okonomiyaki, or do you want me to get one of the chefs?" Sasuke asked. "I am not much of a cook…" Hinata giggled behind her hand.

"Somehow, I am not surprised," she joked. Sasuke marvelled at how comfortable it had gotten to be around Hinata since he'd grown some balls and asked her out properly.

"What's that supposed to mean? Can you do better?" he goaded. _'I bet she would look hot cooking for me,'_ Sasuke thought, grinning inwardly at the image. Maybe he should try and get her to do it. After being treated to the vision of her cooking, he would eat whatever she made even if it tasted like sand.

"I am a very good cook," Hinata responded, a small smile on her lips. Sasuke guided Hinata behind the table and pressed the little buzzer under the surface of the table for the waitress. A diminutive waitress with blonde hair soon arrived, a pleasant but professional smile on her face.

"Welcome to Celestia, where we have the best okonomiyaki," she chirped. "Will you be cooking, or would you prefer to be aided by a chef?" she asked.

"My date here," Sasuke said, tipping his chin in Hinata's direction – he hadn't removed his hand from her back as yet, "would like to cook, so we'll just order the materials we need." The waitress nodded and pulled out an order pad. Hinata was already looking through the menu.

"Very well, what will you need, miss?" the waitress said through a smile.

Roughly ten minutes later, Sasuke was thoroughly impressed, and somewhat turned on, by Hinata's cooking skills. She had donned an apron that looked seriously cute on her, and was currently frying the okonomiyaki on the hot inner surface of their table. Sasuke was standing beside her, arms folded across his chest, resting his hip on the edge of the table and perusing her movements.

"You're really good at this, aren't you?" Sasuke said as she cooked the meal with an ease that came with practice.

"I used to make okonomiyaki for my parents," she responded with a small smile. "It was one of their favourite meals."

"Maybe because you made it," Sasuke said, complimenting her without any grounds other than the ease with which she manipulated the ingredients, but not caring.

The okonomiyaki was indeed delicious, and Sasuke went all out with his compliments. When the meal was over, they sat at the booth, just talking, for almost an hour. It was almost eight thirty when they left Celestia to go buy ice-cream. Sasuke snaked his arm around her waist as they walked to the ice-cream parlour, tucking her into his side. She was all warm and soft, and Sasuke found himself liking the envious stares that were directed his way by the majority of the men they passed on the way.

The ice-cream parlour was fairly full, which was too much people for Sasuke's tastes. He wanted to be somewhere quiet. Bearing in mind his track record when it came to Hinata, Sasuke was not one to count his chickens before they hatched, but he had to admit that this date was going pretty well. Maybe, just maybe, he would get to sneak in a kiss or two… or three. Really, the numbers could keep climbing; Sasuke didn't mind.

They purchased their ice-cream, cones, of course, and decided to walk to the park and eat the ice-cream on the way. The Konoha Memorial Park was empty save a few couples, and the cobblestone pathway was made dark by the towering, leafy trees that grew alongside it. Sasuke and Hinata walked down the pathway in comfortable silence while eating their ice-cream. Spotting a park bench under a lamp-post, Sasuke guided Hinata to it.

"Wanna sit here while we finish these?" Sasuke suggested. Hinata agreed with a small nod and a smile and Sasuke allowed her to sit first. He sat as close to her as propriety would allow. Slightly impatient by nature, Sasuke grew tired of licking the stupid scoop of ice-cream, and bit it instead… which resulted in instant brain-freeze. "Aaaaaahh…" he groaned, squinting his eyes against the skull-numbing cold. Hinata giggled, and daintily bit into her ice-cream scoop as well.

"Itai…. Brain-freeze…" she squealed, giggling again. Sasuke looked over at her and his amusement faded somewhat. She had a triangle of ice-cream at the corner of her mouth. It seemed to be inviting him. He leaned closer to her.

"You've got a… here lemme get that for you," he murmured in a low tone. Hinata went still, waiting. When Sasuke's face got close enough, he flicked his tongue out and removed the small glob of ice-cream that was at the corner of her mouth. He moved back only a fraction, the dipped closer to her again to suck the remaining ice-cream off her skin. Hinata's head turned that fraction of an inch needed to turn Sasuke's act into a kiss, and Sasuke was only vaguely aware of the ice-cream cone falling from his fingers as he moved to wrap his arms around her.

Sasuke pressed small, wet kisses to her lips and tugged her closer against him, feeling her soft curves press into his chest. One hand slid up her back to hold her head closer to his, and the other wrapped so far around her waist that his palm rested on her opposite hip. Her arms were bent between them with her hands resting on his shoulders, her ice-cream cone lost, and also forgotten. She tasted like vanilla ice-cream, which Sasuke decided that he preferred when it came from her mouth.

Hinata's mouth parted between Sasuke's and she moaned softly when he deepened the kiss. His heart was racing, but then, so was hers, and the fact that she seemed to be as into this as he was only served to turn Sasuke on. He gave her short little sucks to the tip of her tongue, his breath hitching when he felt her warm breath brushing over his mouth in a hot little flare. Sasuke dragged his lips from hers and pressed them to the warm, fragrant side of her neck. He nibbled the skin there, then sucked gently on it to ease the sting before repeating the action, egged on by her soft moans of pleasure. He slid his mouth from the red mark he'd left on her neck, and dragged the tip of his nose along the line of her jaw before zoning in on her mouth again.

He groaned in his throat as she took control, all abilities to do so much as think dissolving as soon as her hot tongue entered his mouth. He nibbled her lower lip, then sucked the succulent flesh into his mouth. She pulled away from him, only to lean closer again so she could return the favour. Sasuke was more than hot and bothered. He wanted her _now_ and would have taken her had they been in a marginally more private place… like his car.

Hinata's hands slid from his shoulders, up the side of his neck, to cup his cheeks with her palms. Sasuke's hands began moving of their own accord, sliding up and down her back. He wasn't sure how he was able to keep them from doing what he really wanted to do, but the notion that moving too fast and screwing up all this progress was enough to keep her in line. They pulled apart, hearts racing and breathing heavily. Sasuke leaned away from her, struggling to regain some modicum of control on his desires. He raked his fingers through his hair and took several deep breaths, forcing himself to reign in his heated urges.

"_Damn,_ Hinata," he gasped. "Just… hot damn." He averted his eyes from her heaving chest and her lust-darkened grey eyes; if he looked at her while she was looking so enticing, there was no telling what he would do. For further measure, he inched himself away from her on the bench, needing to put a little space in between them so that he could calm himself down. Aware of his current condition, Sasuke leaned forward so she wouldn't notice _just_ how much she had turned him on, and to save them both from undue embarrassment.

Hinata wasn't speaking, but her eyes were telling him all he needed to know. Needing to get his mind on any other subject than the current unspoken, but very present, one if he wanted to calm down any time soon, Sasuke turned his head slightly to her, but averted his eyes.

"Would you like to come to the next Team 7 concert? I can get you to the VIP row free of charge," Sasuke offered, swallowing to wet his currently very dry throat.

"I would love to," Hinata replied. She sounded slightly breathless. Sasuke changed his mind. Talking to her right now was _not_ a good idea… not if she was going to be sounding like _that_. He slid a glance in her direction and caught her sliding a glance in his direction. They both chuckled softly… not because they were amused, as such, but because they both knew what urge had marched across each other's mind.

"I should get you home," Sasuke said. Staying around her right now and having to keep his hands off to some extent was torture, and it needed to end… at least until he was safely at home and could afford to allow his mind to think about all the things he was preventing himself from thinking about now.

"Okay," she agreed, but she sounded reluctant, which pleased Sasuke. What man wouldn't be pleased? As they walked back to the Celestia parking lot where Sasuke had left his car – with a small distance between their bodies – Sasuke allowed himself to admit that this was a pretty damned perfect date.

* * *

**There! Credit to my friend Laurz from school, who created ****_Whatever Will Be_****! I know some people were under the impression that Hinata felt nothing for Sasuke… it was not my intention for the chapters to come across that way, so I hope this chapter changes your mind! That said, please, please review! I would love to know what you thought! **


	9. Chapter 9

**So, I survived the hurricane! No power, no internet, no hot food, until I made a nifty (who even uses that word?) little stove out of candles... Hoho! I am pretty chuffed about that! (^_^)! Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favourites! I won't be able to upload as swiftly as I used to, but I am trying for once a week, fingers crossed! Also, you may want to hop over to the sideline sequel I am writing, featuring the one and only Uchiha Itachi! It is called ****_Involuntary Addiction_**** and it follows a similar timeline to this story, so I am attempting to upload the chapters at the same time or at close dates. Someone thought it might be nice to see some Hinata POV, but I never did connect with her character much even though I love her to bits. What do you guys think, or should I attempt it? Let me know! Sorry for the long AN!**

* * *

Sasuke intended to enjoy the knowledge that he'd had a damn good date with Hinata last night. He really had! However, there was no way that would be possible. Not now. Sasuke's face had darkened into a scowl as soon as he stepped into the KIS building. Itachi was here. _'Why is Itachi here? Well, his term in the Konoha Military is supposed to be over some time now, but damn him for appearing here, and damn Sai for bringing Hinata again!' _Sasuke ranted inwardly, his scowl darkening further when he saw his older brother, dressed smartly in the KM traditional flak jacket with his long black hair cascading over his shoulders. Why had he taken the tie out? Itachi was sitting in a chair next to Hinata in the lounge room, his arm over the back of the chair, as he had apparently been speaking to her. Sakura was sprawled in the couch, a magazine to her face; she seemed to be ignoring Itachi. Hinata was in no way ignoring Itachi. She looked charmed... her cheeks pink and her eyes sparkling. Damn it, she was only supposed to look like that when she was looking at _him! _Itachi looked up, his solemn black eyes meeting Sasuke's.

"Little brother," was all he said in greeting in that usual silky tone of his. Sasuke hated him right now.

"Hn," he replied, knowing he was being ill mannered, but not caring. He folded his arms when Itachi straightened; he was not about to embrace someone he was not happy to see.

"How have you been?" Itachi questioned, an unidentifiable expression glimmering in his dark eyes.

"Fine," Sasuke snapped, wanting Itachi to remove his arm from the back of Hinata's chair, but knowing it would not do. He hadn't asked her to be exclusive, hell, he hadn't even gone on a proper date with her before last night, and now Itachi was here, messing with his progress.

"Hn," Itachi replied, and the ease with which he did so was a painful reminder that Sasuke had imitated his brother's trademark method of apathetic response. However, there was a slight tilt to Itachi's lips, which was the most of a smile Sasuke had ever seen on his older brother... then Itachi was stalking over. "Smile, little brother. I'm finally home now," Itachi intoned poking Sasuke in the forehead. Suddenly, Sasuke was six again.

* * *

_"Smile, little brother. I'm finally home now," Itachi said, a glimmer of a smile on his lips as he poked six year old Sasuke in the forehead. Sasuke sniffed and wiped away his tears with the back of his hand before throwing his scrawny arms around the shoulders of his older brother. _

_"You took too long, big brother," he complained childishly, his words muffled in Itachi's neck. Itachi chuckled softly and stood, easily lifting Sasuke off the ground. He rubbed his little brother's back._

_"I won't leave you. I will always come back." Sasuke nodded at his brother's statement then pulled back. He clasped Itachi's face with both of his small hands and peered into his dark eyes._

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise," Itachi replied, smiling._

* * *

Sasuke scowled. He wasn't six... and he was standing in front of the woman he loved. How dense was his brother? Sasuke felt colour rise high on his cheeks, even as his scowl darkened further. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie jacket and pushed past Itachi.

"I'll be back soon, Sasu-kun," Itachi said then with a small smile on his lips. "Hinata, are you ready?" he continued, extending a hand. Sasuke felt shell shocked when Hinata rose gracefully from the chair and glided over to Itachi. It was not until the door swished closed behind them and their footsteps were no longer audible that Sasuke found himself able to move again.

"Your brother's hot," Sakura mumbled from the couch, but Sasuke barely heard her. What was happening? Damn it, _what_ was happening?

* * *

"Sasuke, what's up with you, man? You've spaced out and missed the cue for the third time now!" Naruto complained, raising his hands in frustration. "It's annoying, dattebayo!" Sasuke scowled.

"It's not that hard to catch on to, Chicken Butt," Sai said then, his voice solemn. His misconceptions about nicknames made Sasuke's eye twitch.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. They would do it over. He just couldn't get Hinata and Itachi out of his mind. What were they doing? Where had he taken her? His heart was palpitating, and he felt anxious to the point of nausea. Dammit! Sasuke pushed racy scenes of Hinata and Itachi out of his mind where they couldn't torment him and tried to focus on the song. He got it this time, but his voice wasn't at its usual. Sai's song did not fit his current situation. It wasn't pissed off enough. Sasuke gave up.

"I'm heading out. Not in the mood for this," he grunted, then stalked out of the recording room. He left the KIS building altogether and went home. He just felt to punch something out. His chest was aching, his throat and eyes were burning... it was over. It was always over when Itachi was around. No one noticed him when Itachi was present. The cool air-conditioned air in his room did nothing to improve his mood. He felt like a washed out version of his brother.

Why did Itachi have to be so freaking perfect and _potent_? Women didn't stand a chance against Uchiha Itachi, and Sasuke figured it would be worse now that Itachi had been sent home with honours at the end of his term in the KM. Undeniably, he was proud of Itachi, he was his brother after all, but that in no way stopped the jealousy... no, it compounded it. Sasuke dragged his hands over his face, fighting the desperation, the anxious speed of his heartbeat, and the nervous dread twisting his stomach.

He would break it off with her before they got too far. _He_ had to be the one to do it. He wouldn't be able to survive if she ever told him that they shouldn't see each other anymore. She would break him. He would do it. Could he do it? Yes he could, because he was Uchiha Sasuke, and he would get over her too... then Itachi could... Sasuke couldn't even finish the thought. His fists clenched, his eyes widened when he heard his own growl. It was possessive and primeval and it opened a door that seriously needed to stay closed right now.

He would break away from her. He had to. He couldn't be like this anymore. It was better not to feel, right? Because feeling hurt too much... it was wrecking his mojo. He was mad with jealousy and that in itself was driving him crazy. He would do it. He was going to break away from Hyuuga Hinata, because it was dangerous for anyone to have this level of power, or influence over him.

Sasuke looked at the phone on his countertop. The blasted thing was literally staring back at him. Daring him. He picked it up, and speed-dialled Hinata's cellular phone, hating himself for putting her on speed dial.

"Hello?" she answered in her signature breathy voice. Sasuke cursed the shivers that slid down his spine.

"Hey, Hinata. Would you like to go for dinner with me tomorrow night?" Sasuke asked, hating how thick and hesitant the words sounded. He would distance himself at the end of the date.

"Of course," she replied chirpily, and Sasuke felt a shiver of delight at her enthusiastic voice, imagining her smile, which was evident in her tone. "Well, that is, I would love to," she said again, in a softer voice. She was blushing... he could feel it. His face reddened and his heart thumped in his chest. No. He was not supposed to be happy about this. He would stay strong, damn it. They decided it would be okay for Sasuke to pick her up from her place, and drop her back off when the date was over. Sasuke would do this properly; he couldn't bear to offend her, so he would give her a good last date (mostly for his benefit) and then distance himself from her when they got back to her place. A bad ending to a good date, but in terms of self preservation, it was the most plausible thing, right? Plus he wanted no lingering hard feelings between himself and her. Sasuke knew he would always be a bit displeased with Itachi for throwing a wrench in his progress, but at this rate, Hinata would never be his.

* * *

With equal parts anticipation and trepidation, Sasuke knocked on the wooden door of Hinata's apartment. His heart was racing, and he was honestly sick of the symptom. He felt anxious and short of breath. He took a deep breath, but it whooshed out in one go and left him short of breath again because Hinata opened the door, and she looked stunning.

She had piled her hair on top of her head, exposing her long, graceful neck and beautiful shoulders. The dress had one thick strap on the left side and none on the right side, and had a neckline that while plunging, was pure class. The dress was navy blue with neon yellow piping that curved over her hips and extended in a tailored line to the hem of the dress, which brushed her lower thigh about two inches above her knees. Sasuke allowed his eyes to drift down her shapely legs and admired the neon yellow round-toed pumps she was wearing that made her ankles look so dainty, but so impossibly sexy he...

"Goodnight," she fairly whispered. Sasuke was about to return the greeting, his gaze flying back up to meet hers, but she was so damned beautiful that the words stuck in his throat and he could only nod in response. He extended an arm, all thoughts of breaking away from her forgotten as she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. She locked her apartment door behind her and followed him to the car.

"Seriously, you look amazing tonight," Sasuke said once they were seated in the restaurant. The drive over was quiet, since Sasuke was reciting lists of really boring facts to keep his mind over the gutter and not wallowing like a happy pig in the murk. The silence, however, hadn't been stilted or uncomfortable, and Sasuke was incredibly thankful for that.

"Thank you," Hinata responded, blushing prettily. That look just... well he loved it. "You... you look great too, Sasuke," she added, looking up at him through her impossibly long eyelashes. He gulped and blinked, trying to clear his head and to keep his mind in a safe zone. It was unfair that the night he had chosen to get away from her with a clean break was the night he wanted to never let go from her. Itachi didn't deserve to just come back and get with _his _Hinata... okay maybe he did deserve a great girl, but Sasuke wanted Hinata to himself. Sadly, he knew he would never stand a chance... would he? He could feel that little tired feeling in his chest and he knew that the discouragement he was feeling would most likely inspire some sad Team 7 songs in the days to come.

"Do you see anything you would like to have?" he asked, pushing his thoughts away, deciding he should focus on her. She scanned the menu.

"This all looks lovely," she said. "But, I think I would like to try the sautéed beef slivers." Sasuke smiled at her choice.

"I was about to suggest that if you hadn't decided on anything," he said. Her eyes widened in wonder.

"Really? It's so astonishing, but for someone who claims he can't cook, you just seem to know what food I like, even when we were getting takeout at the KIS." She smiled as she said this, and Sasuke allowed himself the pleasure of feeling a small ray of pride to glide through him. Sasuke only gave a small chuckle. The waiter came then to take their orders.

"The sautéed beef slivers for the lady, and the pulled pork on Caesar for me." Sasuke looked to Hinata for confirmation before adding, "and a bottle of sweet white wine, please. I trust you to recommend one." The waiter smiled, nodded and stalked off towards the kitchen. "I felt a little adventurous. I wonder what bottle he will bring us," Sasuke said, turning back to Hinata with a contemplative expression on his face. She seemed to be struggling to keep back a smile.

"I hope he has good taste," she said, pressing her fingertips to her lips before taking a sip of her water.

"So... you went out with my brother..." Sasuke heard himself say. He'd only meant to think it, but he was so damn curious!

"Yes, it was lovely," she responded, her eyes shining. "He is really nice, and he loves you a lot. I could tell." Sasuke frowned a little.

"H-how could you tell?" he asked, reaching for his water. He wished it was alcohol.

"He told me stories about you... when you were little... and showed me a picture of when you were little," she responded with a giggle. Sasuke's eyes widened. This was not a safe topic.

_'Damn it, Itachi! Don't you know not to do that type of thing?'_ Sasuke railed in his mind. He took a gulp of water to hide his embarrassment.

"You should grow your hair out like his. It feels lovely. I would never expect someone from the military to have hair like that," Hinata mused then without warning. Sasuke choked on the water. It was time to change the subject!

The date, to Sasuke's horror and delight both, was wonderful. He'd had a great time, the food was lovely, and the conversation over dinner was great, apart from the minor section of the conversation that had focused on Itachi. He'd found out so much about her, and she seemed so comfortable around him. Sasuke knew though, that it wouldn't last. He would feel great tonight, and be all happy and hopeful, then something would happen and his mood would crash and burn. Sasuke was conscious that he was driving much slower than he could have been, and taking one of the longest routes possible, because even though he was resolved to distance himself tonight, he just wanted that moment to never come.

The air in the car seemed charged with electricity the closer Sasuke got to Hinata's apartment. Anticipation and tension, as well as some apprehension and trepidation on Sasuke's part filled the car and the silence was strained with a myriad of emotions. Sasuke pulled up in front of the apartment and parked the car. _'Oh, Kami, I don't want to do this now, but I have to, right? Let me at least walk her to her door,'_ Sasuke thought as a strange tense pain stretched across his chest. It was getting harder to breathe.

"Lemme walk you to the door," he heard himself rasp, his voice loud in the silence of the car, even though he had spoken in a near whisper. He fled the car before she could respond and walked round to her side of the car. He paused at the door to take a calming breath; a breath of fortitude. He could do this. He opened the door and helped Hinata out of the car, trying his utmost best not to focus on the warmth in her eyes, or the way her palm felt against his, or that whiff of her perfume that caressed his nostrils when the wind blew... He walked her to her door and then turned to her.

"I had a great time tonight, Sasuke-kun," she said softly, resting her palm on his chest. Luckily, she chose the right side and so wouldn't feel just how fast his heart was beating. Kami, she looked gorgeous. He had to resist her though, he had to because he couldn't exist like this anymore... the waiting, the longing, the loving her and not being loved back... it was killing him.

"I had a great time tonight too..." he rasped, reaching up to take her hand in his. She was looking up at him, her large grey eyes filled with warmth and heat and it was making his decision that much harder to execute. He _had_ to do this, or he would go crazy. "Hinata... I..." he groaned, the words halting in his throat.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" she encouraged, stepping closer to him. Her scent assailed his senses and he could feel the warmth of her body against his.

"I... I can't..." he choked out, emotions and desires warring within him. He could do this. It was now or never.

* * *

**Short chapter, but it sorta needed to happen! In my defence, I am trying to upload the first chapter of the sequel which will be titled ****_Involuntary Addiction. _****As usual, let me know what you think, yall! It has been so long since I updated! Please don't hate me! All reviews, comments, criticisms and suggestions very welcome!**


	10. Chapter 10

**So, only one or two people responded to my question on whether or not there should be a Hinata POV. Since I don't really connect with her character as a writer, I am not so sure how it will turn out, but I dedicate the Hinata section of this chapter to the lovely people that responded to the question! *huggles (^_^)* To everyone else, thank you SO much for the lovely reviews! Chapter 1 of ****_Involunary Addiction_**** featuring Itachi and Sakura is now up, so please let me know what you think! My challenge to you for this chapter is, for the parts where its Hinata POV, what do you think is going through Sasuke's head based on how I have written the past 9 chapters?**

* * *

Hinata was burning…

"Hinata…" Sasuke groaned, his face close to hers in the darkness surrounding her apartment door. His words hitched with emotion. "I…" he continued, his words halting again. Hinata's heart was racing, her blood pumping, her knees weak. She had never felt this _alive_ before. She stepped closer to Sasuke, feeling the heat from his body.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" she whispered encouragingly. She had been captivated by Naruto's effervescence in the past and it was a trait she admired, but Sasuke… a heat not existing solely from biological origins rolled off him in her presence. Some days, it caressed her in warm waves, and sometimes, like now, it slammed into her with all the subtlety of a freight train… and it caused her vision to blur and her skin to tingle.

"I… I can't…" he stuttered and Hinata's heart skipped a beat. She knew what he was trying to say, and it excited her because she felt the same way!

"Say it, Sasuke-kun," she whispered again, placing her palm on his hot cheek. She smiled. It was getting harder for her too… harder to wait, especially when her dreams had begun to change… when the man holding her was no longer blonde, but dark eyed and dark haired. _Sasuke._ It was torture to wait, what with that tight coiled heat he was radiating; tense as though begging, stretching for release. She tipped, angling her head towards him, not unconscious of how rapidly her heart was beating, of how much she wanted him right now, and of how bold he seemed to make her. With everyone else she was timid, but Sasuke was bringing out a part of her that she didn't know she had and that she didn't quite understand.

Coherent thought was a thing of the past when he gave a short groan and met her halfway, his lips crushing hers. Fire raced through her entire being when his firm, yet soft lips pressed to hers, gently, but fervently, and passionate but controlled. His mouth was so wet, so hot, so insistent, and made her feel like the only woman in the world, so much so that she barely felt it when her back slammed against the wooden door of her apartment… and then he was all around her. One hand moved to her hair, pulling the pins that kept her up-do up and dropped them to the ground. The other hand wound around her waist to clasp her arched back so as to press her to him. His chest, stomach and thighs pressed against hers, sandwiching her between the door and the heat of his body. Soft groans slipped from both their lips, and a warm, pressurized swirl was building up steadily in Hinata's stomach. Suddenly, alarm and fear strode through her being and she broke the kiss.

Without a hitch, Sasuke's mouth slid across her check and he gently sucked that special place on her neck that was in juxtaposition to her jaw.

"Nnn… Sasuke-kun…stop, please," she begged, her voice trembling under the immense pressure of his desire. He pulled away, his chest heaving as he dragged desperately for breath. In the darkness of the doorway, his eyes were equally dark and unreadable and his breathing was raspy and labored… as was hers.

"I… I'm sorry…" he murmured and she could feel him pulling away from her, even though he had only taken one step back. His mouth worked as if he was trying to say something he couldn't quite express. "I mean, I know that… that maybe… maybe you like Ita-" She interrupted him, pressing her cheek to his chest. If possible, his heart was racing faster than hers was.

"Yes, I liked what you were doing, but…"

"But," he snapped bitterly, turning his face from her and looking up at a random spot on the wall above her head. Hinata's cheeks went red instantly. He was going to make her say it, wasn't he? She pulled his face back down to hers and made eye contact with his hooded eyes.

"But _the neighbours!_" she hissed insistently, determined not to hide from her embarrassment. What if the neighbors saw them? They didn't really know Sasuke, but they knew Sai, and he was extremely protective of her. Sasuke blinked dumbly at her when she grasped his hand and used her other one to swipe her key card on the system at the door before pulling him inside. He whimpered softly when he realized what she was doing, and the sound excited Hinata more than anything she had ever experienced.

The creature Sasuke had created in her fought for dominance over her usual timid self, and it was a landslide victory. Sasuke didn't really even have time to look around because her hands were in his silky black hair, made slightly stiff by his spicy scented hair gel. Her fingers slid through his hair and down to the nape of his neck. She pulled him closer, then tipped and kissed the pulse point at the base of his throat, sucking insistently on this skin and nibbling the taut skin. He tasted of salt and musk and –

"Sasuke," she groaned impatiently against his neck, pushing closer to his warmth. He trembled and a strangled groan eked from his throat. It took a short moment, and a quick breath, then he responded. His arms moved around her, yanking her close and his mouth fairly attacked her neck. His hot breath fanned over her shoulder with each heavy exhalation, and then his tongue flicked out against the corner of her jaw.

Hinata couldn't stand it anymore… she couldn't stand there in her foyer with him like this anymore. Not with him getting more and more insistent, and the evidence of his arousal pressing against her. She took a step back, and he followed, not halting his ministrations for even a second. She took another step, guiding him to the hallway leading to her room. He matched her step for step until they reached the hall. Then he lifted her… not in princess style, but rather with her legs on either side of his hips, and pushed her against the wall, holding her in place with just his weight. He ground against her, breathing heavily.

Then his mouth was all over hers, his tongue sliding against hers expertly. Her insides were trembling and the heat between her legs was driving her crazy. He murmured, or rather, breathed her name in her ear, his tone the embodiment of longing, impatience and desire, but there was another hidden message in that tone. A tone Hinata paid no attention to until he released her and took three steps back, his back pressing against the opposing wall of the hallway. Hinata's brain was still foggy with lust and she followed him. His mouth pressed to hers again, then he pulled away again, angling his head upwards even though his eyes stayed on her.

"Hi… Hi…Hinnnn," was all he could manage when she pressed her open mouth to his neck. His back arched and he realeased a throaty, breathy, tremulous moan when her hands slipped under the hem of his shirt. _'I can do this,'_ Hinata thought. _'I am actually exciting a man.' _It was not something she was used to… she knew she was above average in looks, but men rarely saw her, much less noticed her as a woman… until Sasuke. She wanted to show him what she had… what she had that men rarely saw without a couple drinks in them.

His hands grasped her wrists and slid them from the skin of his waist. He was gasping for breath, the hard planes of his chest slamming against her breasts with every intake of air. He angled his head down, nudging her face with his nose until she was far away enough for him to seize her lips with his. He was pulling away again, but she brought him back easily by licking the very tip of his tongue with hers, then evading his tongue when it darted back into her mouth. Her back slammed into the wall behind her as he pushed her forward again while trying to get another taste of her tongue. She gave in to his amorous assault, the damp sounds of their kisses and their heavy breathing the only sounds in the darkened apartment. Then he was pulling away again, breathing heavily, his hands in his hair. She stepped forward again, longing to feel him more… to have him know every part of her.

"Hinnnna-chann," he groaned as he attempted to avoid her lips. "I can't do this… I want to… _so badly_… but I can't do it when I don't know…" he managed, putting some distance between them. She paused in confusion and hurt. _'He doesn't want me?'_ her mind was crying. Outwardly she blinked. She thought she was hiding how his words made her feel, but apparently she couldn't do even that.

"Why?" she gasped, not wanting the hurt to be in her voice, but she was never good at hiding her feelings, was she?

"Aww, Hinata, don't make a face like that at me," he groaned, taking her face in his hands. His dark eyes were still filled with lust and longing and apology, and something else Hinata couldn't identify. "I don't want to just have sex with you…" his voice broke at the confusion in her eyes. "I want to make love to you so bad… I've been dreaming about it for a while now… but I can't make love to you unless… unless you want to make love to me too…" he croaked, his eyes darting to her lips every couple seconds. He licked his own lips and swallowed. Hinata could see the bobbing of his Adam's apple under the light that filtered in from the living room window. Hinata couldn't understand. Wasn't sex and making love the same thing?

"But… but I _do_…" she insisted, tilting her head closer to his, wanting his fevered touch again. He clenched his teeth, swallowing a half strangled groan which Hinata only heard because his proximity heightened her sense of him. He shook his head sharply.

"No… you want sex, and don't get me wrong," he said with a wry smile, "that really turns me on… I would love to jump your bones, Hinata. It's just…" He removed one hand from her cheek and wiped it over his face. "It's just," he continued, "I don't want to just jump your bones, because you're a better woman than that… I've got in bed with many girls in the past… but I want… I want _more_ with you… you're not the normal girl, Hinata, and _I just don't want to screw this up,"_ he choked, his voice desperate for understanding. A different warmth to the one Hinata had felt before washed through her body like a cleansing wave. His words made her feel more confident than the unadulterated lust in his eyes had. She had to be sure of his message. She wasn't really built for major disappointment.

"You want more than just me… you want _me?_" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. He nodded, and tried to swallow, but obviously failed, because his next words were thick and strangled.

"I don't just want you… I want _all of you,"_ he said, his dark eyes swallowing her up. "When you can't stand the thought of me even looking at another woman… when all you dream of is me… when you know what I am going to say before I say it… when you can-" his voice choked off under the pressure of what he was going to say next. "When you can see me at my worst and still-" he tried again. He took a deep breath before trying again. "When you can see me at my worst and still… still want to be with me… that's what I want…" he finally said, his eyes begging her to understand. She did.

Not being able to stop herself, she pulled his head down and pressed her mouth to his. He stiffened for a moment, then relaxed when the nature of the kiss was revealed to him. Their mouths moved softly and slowly together, tongues sliding against each other's. It was the softest, gentlest kiss either of them had ever experienced, and Hinata felt an insistent tingle behind suddenly hot eyes. Different warmth to the frantic heat of intense passion enveloped them. The tears were rolling down her cheeks before she even knew it, the liquid making hot trails over her face and dripping off her jaw. Sasuke stepped back the same moment the light in the apartment flicked on.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sai had returned.

* * *

Sasuke looked up in surprise at Sai's voice. The man had an intense glower on his face as he looked from Hinata to Sasuke, then back to Hinata.

"You made her cry, you bastard," the normally emotionless pianist growled, reaching to the couple in record speed and grabbing Sasuke by the throat, almost lifting him from the ground. _'Damn, he's strong,'_ Sasuke thought in surprise, not having seen this coming.

The next thing he knew, Sai had released him from the chokehold, but was slamming his fist into Sasuke's face with force enough to drive the Team 7 vocalist into the walls of the hall. Sai advanced, and Sasuke barely heard Hinata's voice in the background. He got to his feet, avoided Sai's next punch and followed through with one of his own, which had the pianist's face snapping to the side. Sai teetered a bit, unsteady. Sasuke finally got his wits together.

_'What the hell is this guy on about?'_ Sasuke thought, flashing a glance at Hinata. Sure enough, tears were rolling down her cheeks and her eyes were red around the grey. He stalked over to her, concerned. Had he hurt her? _'Kami no, please don't make it be that I hurt her!' _Sasuke screamed internally. Sai's surprisingly hard hand clamped in a vice grip over his shoulder, halting him in his tracks.

"Not another step, Sasuke," Sai hissed, yanking Sasuke backwards. Sasuke dropped into position to punch the pianist off him the same time Sai drew back his fist.

"Sasuke! NO!" Hinata screamed from behind him. Sasuke relaxed his fist and his stance… but Sai didn't, and his fist crashed into Sasuke's face with such force that Sasuke staggered backwards into the wall next to Hinata. She gave a frightened whimper and he turned his head to make eye contact with her… even though his vision was blurred. She didn't want him to hit her friend… Sasuke could identify with that. He would show her just how much her words meant to him. Sai's fist pounded into him again, not in his face this time, but in his stomach. Sasuke retched at the impact, but managed to hold the contents of his stomach inside.

"Bastard!" Sai was screaming as he attacked Sasuke.

"Sai, STOP!" Hinata was screaming, but Sai was too jealous, too angry to care… or hear. His fist slammed into Sasuke's cheek, snapping his head to the side. Sasuke refused to retaliate. He steeled himself for the next attack, but it never came. What _did _come though was a pained gasp, but it wasn't from him. Sasuke opened the one swollen eye that still had some semblance of visibility. What he saw made him choke with anger. Hinata had placed herself between Sai and Sasuke and had absorbed the hit Sai meant for Sasuke. It had connected squarely with her stomach, and Sasuke watched in mute horror as she dropped to her knees. Sasuke scrambled to his feet, pulling her against him.

"Hinata," he whispered. Where he was concerned, she had finally seen him. She'd _seen_ him. She was coming round. He turned to Sai, and if looks could kill, the pianist would be six feet under. Sai was standing still as wood, eyes wide, hands at his side, a look of disbelief and horror etched into his features. "Get out," Sasuke growled. "Get out now, and I will still allow you to play with Team 7 on Saturday." Sai began to tremble visibly when the impact of what he'd done slammed into him. He took a small step back, then turned and ran from the apartment.

* * *

Sasuke watched as Hinata's eyes opened and smiled. He had taken off her dress and left her with only her bra and some jeans shorts he had found in her room earlier so that he could tend to her stomach. He had been too concerned for her safety to look at her body in any way other than platonic. Her stomach had been bruised, and since she had been almost unconscious from the pain, Sasuke had tended to her. Currently, an ice pack was on her stomach, helping, he hoped, to dull the pain.

"You stayed," she whispered, a small smile on her lips. Sasuke returned the grin, knowing his face was badly bruised as well… the swelling in his left eye had just begun to go down and it hurt like hell every time he moved.

"Now my face is all ugly. You shouldn't look," he joked. She chuckled softly, and a distant look came over her face.

"You stayed." Sasuke scowled playfully.

"I could not have left," Sasuke mumbled. "There is no way I would have left."

* * *

Hinata smiled when she opened the door. Sasuke grinned nervously, his hands shoved into the pockets of the pockets of his hoodie. He was slightly slouched with his head tilted down, but his eyes were looking up hopefully at her. The result was that his forehead was slightly wrinkled and one eyebrow was raised higher than the other. He knew he looked shy, but… well he was.

"What are you doing here?" Hinata asked, her voice whispery as usual. It sent a little tingle up his spine. Sasuke decided to tell her the truth.

"I… I had to come… I was… I was craving a kiss… and to just see you, I guess," he mumbled, hating the red that he knew was creeping up his cheeks. This was the third time for the week that he had done this. Hinata giggled, and Sasuke felt a little stupid, but he really couldn't stand being away from her a second letter. He had stalked out of band practice in the middle of a line, but that had been his limit… he just _had_ to see her. It was Friday afternoon, and Sai's debut performance with the band was the day after, and Sasuke _knew_ he should be fine-tuning the song with the others, but… he couldn't help himself.

"You're adorable, Sasuke-kun," Hinata mumbled with a matching blush, before stepping back and allowing him to enter her apartment. She squeaked in surprise when he grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers. Her body always intoxicated him, but Sasuke braved it, hoping he could stop in time when things got too hot and heavy.

"I'm addicted to you," he groaned into her mouth. "I haven't had a drink… or a smoke since… I… you… we…" was all he managed before she swallowed the rest of his words… or he swallowed them… he didn't know. His heart jumped when she pulled the zipper of his hoodie down and stepped closer to him. He plunged his hands into her hair, loving how the silky strands slipped over his fingers.

"Mmm," she mumbled into his mouth. "What… do… you think… of…. Karaoke… tonight?" she asked in between kisses.

"Anything," Sasuke gasped, before taking her mouth again. Seriously, the heat of her mouth was driving him crazy, and he knew what he was doing was risky. He was a man… a rock-star… there was only so long that he could expect himself to be able to wait. After he had left Hinata, the full impact of how _damned _sexy she really was had literally blindsided him… and things had changed. His dreams had been getting more and more intense recently… detailed, because of the memory of how her body looked… and he'd been waking up stiff and hot and wet and horny… which killed his concentration in the days… and made him need to see her, kiss her, feel her… just to tide him over.

"You can invite Itachi to come along," she mumbled, pulling her mouth out of reach and stroking the base of his throat with her index finger. Her touch sent a frisson of pleasure from his throat in a vertical line to his-

_'Where the hell did that come from?'_ Sasuke thought frantically to the two aspects of what she was doing while he groaned audibly. She'd never done that to him before, and what was this about Itachi?

"Why Itachi?" he choked, barely able to think. That thing she was doing to his neck… did not facilitate coherent thought… and his knees trembled weakly. "Hinata…" he groaned, his eyes glazing over. This thing she was doing was dangerous to his self control, but it felt so damn _good! _Too good for him to ask her to stop!

"He's your brother… and he is back from the war… and he loves you," she replied in between kisses to his jaw. Sasuke could hardly think. His hands had dropped to loosely hold her waist; there was not much else his body could do.

"Ugh," he groaned. "I don't really want…"

"C'mon, Sasuke-kun… we should include him," she whispered in his ear. The warm vibrations skittered into his ear, her sultry tone bringing forth a devastating effect on his thought processes. His back arched slightly and a low moan sounded in his neck.

"You are an evil woman," he muttered darkly, realizing what she was doing to him. She giggled and pressed her face into his chest. He breathed a little easier, slowly calming down.

"Get back to practice," she said then, smiling up at him. Sasuke grinned. "I'll see you at karaoke later," she whispered, giving him a little push.

"_Fine,_" Sasuke groused, stealing another kiss from her lips before backing out of the apartment. He couldn't wait. Maybe she would sing one of _his _songs, and for selfish purposes, Sasuke wanted her to sing _Dreamsong_.

* * *

"Go on up, Sakura," Hinata encouraged, passing the microphone to Sakura later that night. Sakura frowned at the microphone, and then at the stage in the private karaoke room. Hinata was tucked into Sasuke's arm, and he barely registered what she was saying… he just liked how her lips moved when she talked. _Kami_ he wanted to kiss her, but she said they should keep the amorousness down while in public. He hadn't minded when she had asked, but now, he _really, really did!_

"I don't really sing," Sakura said, glancing at the occupants of the room. Sasuke and Hinata, Itachi, Naruto, Kakashi and Sai were lounging in the sofas in the room… and Gaara was sitting straight up, his eyes fixed on Sakura. The designer had joined the group at the last minute after dropping in on Team 7 to request Sasuke and Kakashi for one of his shows. He had seen Itachi, and requested his presence at the show as well. It was an understandable request, considering Itachi's appearance.

"Go on, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, grinning widely at her. "We'll only laugh a little if you suck," he continued. Sakura chucked the microphone at Naruto's head. Sasuke barely heard what was going on.

_'C'mon, don't pay attention to them, Hinata,'_ his starved soul was begging. He wanted her to just look at him, the others be damned. He hadn't gotten enough of her yet. He was _not_ ready to share her attention yet.

"Give it a go, Sakura-chan, or are you scared?" Kakashi taunted, handing her the microphone.

"She's scared," Itachi intoned flatly from Kakashi's side. Sakura's eye twitched and she snatched the microphone from Kakashi's grasp, storming onto the platform and punching the song choice into the touch-screen device. Her voice was soft and whispery as she sang the love song, the direct opposite to what one would expect from her. Hinata snuggled into Sasuke's side, and he smiled in satisfaction when her eyes finally moved up to meet his. Their surroundings faded into white nonexistence for Sasuke when their eyes met.

Not able to hold back any longer, Hinata's rule be damned, Sasuke dropped a small kiss to her lips, flicking his tongue into her mouth for a little taste to last him until later. _'That was nowhere near enough, but I guess it will have to do… for now,' _Sasuke thought with a dark grin. He pushed his face into her neck, inhaling her scent, a small shiver passing through him when she rubbed her jaw against the top of his head. Sasuke sighed, turning his head to regard the others in the room. Sai was giving him a death glare from the other side of the room, his displeasure clear in his mouth, his eyes, his clenched jaw, his fisted hands and his overall aura. Sasuke met him glare for glare, then mouthed a taunt at the pianist.

_"You'll never win." _

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**Whoo…. This chapter! Haha! So, um, what do you guys think? Someone said that maybe there should be a connection apart from the physical… do you think I got it? Or should I try again? How did I do with Hinata? Was she OOC? ARGH this chapter fills me with such doubts… I am not quite sure, but I can't bring myself to undo it…Please remember to review. I need to know what you think! Just a reminder, ****_Involuntary Addiction _****Chapter 1 is up, and I will try my best to get chapter 2 up by tomorrow evening or Saturday midday, fingers crossed! If you want the automatic chapter updates for it, you know what to do! There is a major hint in the end of this chapter about what will occur in ****_Involuntary Addiction,_**** and cookies for anyone that figures it out! (^_^) shi shi shi! You guys keep me going! *huggles for all* ILY! 3!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again! I love all of you guys, and your reviews are so helpful and cohesive, like not crazy and stuff... haha so I guess I will try to grant your wishes! Drkangl431: If you are reading this, that was a great point you made, and I will try to address it! Just not sure when, since I write my opening ANs before I start the chapter, sometimes I have no clue what will come in the chapter itself! Everyone else, thank you so much for the ideas and the reviews, and to those who followed and favorited, you guys made my day! BTW, Involuntary Addiction chapter 2 (which is linked to the last chapter of this story) is up:**

s/8661480/2/Involuntary-Addiction

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"ROAD TRIP!" Naruto yelled, the sheer loudness of his voice threatening to blow Sasuke's eardrums. If he wasn't in such a foul mood, he would have reacted with a smirk and called Naruto 'dobe'... but he was in a _really_ foul mood, so all Naruto got was a snarl. It all started the week after Sai's debut as the Team 7 pianist, which would have been two weeks previously.

* * *

_Sasuke strode up the driveway of Hinata's apartment building, frowning when he noticed Sai's convertible parked there. His scowl deepened when he noticed that the front door was open and voices were coming out; Sai's and Hinata's voices. They seemed to be arguing. Not wanting to go inside Sasuke decided he would wait at the door until it was over._

_"...How can you just take his word for it? He is a rock star, he knows how to get girls, Hinata," Sai was saying, his voice earnest. "He has issues, Hinata. He might think he is in love with you, but what if he was only drawn to you because you were not a fan of him? What if he just wants to possess everything that isn't focused on him? It could be a psychological thing, since his parents abandoned him around the same time Itachi left for the war." Sasuke was shaking with anger at the implications of Sai's words and also the worthless feeling it caused in him._

_"I know, but he was being honest, I could tell," Hinata replied, her voice low, a tinge of doubt in her voice. Pain like a dagger shoved in his chest spiked through him at the doubt in her voice. Did she really believe that that could be the reason he liked her? Was it?_

_"Be smart Hinata, and besides, how is that fair to me? Do you know how incredibly long I have been in love with you?" Sai returned, and there was the sound of footsteps, as if he was walking closer to her. Sasuke frowned. What?_

_"What?" Hinata gasped. "What are you talking about?" There was a small pause, followed by a sigh from Sai. Sasuke shifted uneasily. This was not good._

_"Do you remember ROOT studios... run by Himura Danzo?" There was a small pause as Hinata wordlessly responded. "Well, I remember seeing you walk past there on the way to that ice-cream shop... you were so adorable," Sai's voice grew wistful. "I was too scared to say anything to you, but I would time my breaks to watch you pass... I always thought that maybe someday, I would be able to talk to you, but Danzo always said that relationships were no good for a musician if they wanted to be successful, and I believed him..." Sai's voice trailed off. Sasuke's eyes widened._

_"Sai," Hinata gasped again. "I had no idea!" _

_"And when I won the summer championship that year Danzo introduced me to your father... he was our chief sponsor... I remember talking to you for the very first time. You were wearing that blue sundress with the-"_

_"...red flowers on the hem," Hinata finished with him, a trace of awe in her voice. At this point, Sasuke wanted to storm in there and interrupt, but he knew instinctively that Hinata would not appreciate that. He settled for clenching his fists and teeth. _

_"Oh, Sai..." Hinata whispered, but Sasuke heard it._

_"And then you tell me I can't take you out because you've been seeing Uchiha for what, two weeks now? I've loved you for years, but you've never seen me as a man," Sai said then. "How is it fair to me? You've never given me a chance... and I am sorry I hit you, but I was aiming at him... I thought he had hurt you, and I just got so... so angry... and I couldn't reason at that point... I just wanted him gone. And I can't believe I let him convince me to run... he hung my music over me... my place in Team 7... he told me if I didn't go, I would not join the band... but I should have chosen you," Sai said, his words tumbling into each other and desperation weaving through his voice. "I was feeling so guilty and I didn't deserve to be in your presence, but I should have stayed anyway... Oh Hinata, it killed me to see him skip practices and then return with your perfume all over him..." Sai choked out and then no more words were spoken. Sasuke was shaking with anger and... and fear._

_Not being able to just stand there anymore, Sasuke knew he had to go in before... before anything else happened. He stepped in through the door._

_"Hinata..." he was about to call, as if he hadn't heard any of the conversation, but his shock and hurt were real when his eyes took in the scene. Hinata was wrapped in Sai's arms, his mouth on hers. She jumped away from Sai and her head spun to face him, grey eyes wide. _

_"Sasuke..." she gasped. Sasuke hated how red her lips were from Sai's kiss. He noticed Sai hadn't removed his arm from around her. Sasuke felt his heart thudding heavily in his chest, each beat excruciating. His throat felt raw and his whole body felt tremendously heavy. "Sasuke..." she said again, as if not believing he was actually there. "What are you doing here?" Sasuke gave a smile which he knew came off incredibly sadly and didn't reach his eyes, but he reminded himself that this was not a time to choke. She was his, damn it, and damn Sai for stepping in and messing with the relationship he'd been trying to nurture._

_"What I always do, Hinata," he said, his voice choked and raspy despite his best efforts. "I couldn't stay away... I had to see you... to kiss you... to hold you... to make sure you were alright. I just... I," Sasuke tried to get the words out, but they wouldn't budge, and his heart was aching so much. His happiness was in shambles at his feet and breathing took more effort than normal. "I wanted to take you out..." Sasuke's stomach fell when Hinata glanced at Sai whose brow was drawn together, a troubled look on his face._

_"Sasuke-kun... I'm sorry... I... I can't go now, I..." Hinata stuttered, her face red and her eyes indecisive as she glanced from him to Sai and back again. Sasuke nodded jerkily, needing to escape anyway... to go somewhere private to... to get away. He clenched his fists and turned his face to the side, unable to look at her face._

_"I... I thought... I thought you and I were..." Sasuke started, still unable to look at her. Sai was silent, thankfully. Hinata started towards him, but Sai refused to let her go._

_"Did you tell her you wanted to be exclusive?" Sai muttered darkly, already knowing the answer. Sasuke bristled._

_"No, but..." he admitted through clenched teeth. Sai stepped in front of Hinata, shielding her from Sasuke._

_"Then you really have no claim over her, do you?" Sai interrupted. "You have no reason to come in here and make her feel guilty when you weren't even clear with her. She should be able to have a choice of who she wants, Uchiha," Sai said, his eyes dark and possessive, his stance guarded. Anger pushed through Sasuke's hurt._

_"Watch yourself, Sai. I only stopped myself last time because she asked, else you would never have won," he snarled. "Unlike you, I actually respected her request. Just because you knew her longer doesn't mean a thing, Sai. You have no idea what I went through to get her to even look at me. I know she deserves to be the one to make the choice, which is why I didn't interrupt your speech just now," he growled. Softening his voice, Sasuke turned to Hinata. "I'm sorry I didn't specify that I wanted to be exclusive... I thought you would have picked up that there was no one else for me from what I told you before Sai interrupted... I can't help burning up with jealousy at the thought of someone else apart from me even touching you. That said... can you please go out with me tomorrow night, if even to just talk?" _

_Hinata stepped out from behind Sai, a stricken look on her face. She nodded her head silently, looking as if she was unable to speak at all. Sasuke gave her a short nod then turned on his heel and high-tailed it out of her apartment. He could hardly wait to get home and sink himself into some alcohol to help him forget, if only for a little while. Once in his car, the pain returned full force, causing all strength to drain from his arms and his head to fall to the steering wheel as the implications of the earlier conversation hit him. Hinata was contemplating going out with Sai. The jealousy reeling through him was more than he ever remembered it. Seeing her lips pressed to Sai's and knowing that she would be going out with him and doing who knew what with the pianist who she had known for ages cut his confidence to the quick. He felt like little Sasuke again, abandoned by his parents and left alone by his sniper brother. Pathetic. Useless. Why was everything so damned hard for him? He clutched his chest with his fingers, trying to distract himself from the pain spreading through his ribcage. He squeezed his eyes shut, barely warding off the pathetic tears that were burning the backs of his eyelids._

_He groaned, feeling the beginnings of a splitting headache coming on, and he hadn't even started drinking yet. What was wrong with him? Why did the people he wanted to stick by him always seem to be the ones that left, or didn't care for him as much as he cared for them? He wasn't good at voicing feelings; he hadn't been since his parents had left, but... why couldn't she have refused Sai? Why couldn't she have said that she loved him too and that's why she wanted to give their relationship a try? Was he too tainted for her? Did thoughts of all the women he'd had hang over her? She should know that they meant nothing to him, that she was the only one that meant anything to him. Sasuke tried in vain to close off the feeling her inability to just choose him had caused; inadequacy. She was ruining him and building him at the same time; pleasing him and disappointing him at the same time; and he loved her... but was he good for her? As Sai had said, he had issues, and would those issues wreck her? Change her? Hinder her? Had he only wanted her because she was a Naruto fan and had not given him her attention at all in the beginning? _

_By the time an hour had passed, Sasuke had finished three bottles of sake, and his thought processes had taken a downward spiral. He reached for the fourth glass bottle, but his alcohol-influenced reflexes had him closing his fist before fully grasping the bottle, sending it sliding across the table away from him and over the edge where it crashed to the floor, shattering into hundreds of shards of glass, its clear contents spreading over the floor. Sasuke stood over the mess he had made and groaned in inebriated pain._

_He really ruined everything he touched. His family had fallen apart after his birth... he had been a mistake... They had not intended for him to exist at all. The Uchihas looked happy in all the pictures of the family when it was just his father, mother and Itachi. Itachi always had great stories to tell about before Sasuke was born, and he knew his big brother never intended to make Sasuke feel unwanted and miserable, but that's what the stories did... because his family wasn't happy for as long as he had remembered... Then Itachi had left for the war while he was in school... his parents had dropped him off at school on the way to the airport, but they had never returned. They had abandoned him, and Sasuke knew that they weren't dead, because he had seen them while on a school trip in Amegakure. He'd never felt so unwanted in his life, and this episode with Hinata came a very close second. Then there had been Team 7... it had done well at the start, but then the fans began to leave for other bands after Sasuke became the band's lead vocalist. It wasn't until the first sighting of Hinata... when he had been inspired... after that the fan count had gone off the charts... but it had been because of Hinata... if left to his own devices, he probably would have wrecked the band. Or that's how it felt anyway._

_Hinata. He wanted her. Didn't she know that? He wanted to lock her away where she would be safe from everyone else, and safe from him. Sasuke wished he didn't wreck everything in his reach because then he could touch her... and she wouldn't break... she wouldn't be indecisive if he wasn't so worthless. She would choose him if... if he wasn't so pathetic._

* * *

Sasuke was pulled from his depressing thoughts when Sakura brushed past him to get into the Team 7 trailer. She looked distant and deep in thought. He blinked away the burn in his eyes. The sound of Sai's convertible had Sasuke turning. His heart clenched when he saw Hinata in the passenger seat. She was smiling; laughing... she had never really looked that carefree when she was with him. The pressure in his chest got heavier when Sai parked and then leaned over to kiss her soundly. Suddenly, a burst of anger and determination that hadn't been present before surged through him. How dare she forget him? His mind took him back to roughly two weeks ago when he had waited for Hinata at the restaurant the night after the confrontation.

* * *

_Sasuke watched the condensation drain down the sides of his wine glass, and forced himself to avoid checking his watch. He'd barely managed to drag himself out of the house, but he had to see her... he had to know that she still saw him, that maybe she thought he was worth some of her time. A shuffle to his left had him looking up. The waitress shifted from one leg to the other, a sympathetic expression on her face._

_"Excuse me, sir. Would you like to be moved to a table for one? I am afraid your reservation time is already over." Sasuke frowned, and clenched his teeth against the fresh wave of pain thumping through him. He checked his phone. There were no missed calls, no messages from her. Was Hinata standing him up?_

_"No," he stated. "She's coming, she has to be coming. I will pay double, but I'm waiting for her," he said. The waitress pressed her lips together._

_"I'm so sorry, sir. It's just that this table is now reserved to another couple, so you will have to move to the bar or the tables for one to wait on you date," she said firmly. Sasuke hated the sympathetic, pitying stares that were sent his way as he got up from the table. He didn't care, though. She had said she was coming, so he would wait. He took a seat at the bar and ordered two drinks; a beer for him and a glass of white wine for her... because she loved the stuff, and she would soon get here._

_Half an hour later, she had still not shown up, and the restaurant was considerably emptier. She wasn't coming. It was twenty minutes to closing time. With that in mind, Sasuke decided that twenty minutes of alcohol would make up for her absence. He swallowed her glass of wine and told the barkeep to keep them coming until it was time to close._

* * *

Sasuke couldn't stand for her to forget him. Not when he had far from forgotten about her. Instead, he had thought about her more than ever. She filled his dreams, daydreams and nightmares every day and night of those two weeks. He had barely seen her since the scene at her apartment; it was always one thing or another. Sai was a devious man, and Sasuke regretted underestimating him. He had no idea what ideas the pianist had been filling her head with, but the time for that was over.

Sasuke stormed over to Sai's car as Sai and Hinata pulled apart. Without giving them a moment to even think, he opened the passenger door, undid her seatbelt, and pulled her from the car. She didn't even have time to speak before he had her lifted in his arms, princess style, and was walking across the parking lot with her in his arms. He ignored Sai's calls and moved faster with her. His body warmed at the feeling of her warm, soft body in his arms again, her arms about his neck holding on for dear life as he almost ran with her in his arms.

"Sasuke," she gasped. "What are you doing?"

"Being a man," he replied breathlessly, a rough chuckle working its way up his throat. "I need you to know I haven't stopped fighting for you, but drastic times call for drastic measures," he continued, going faster as he neared his car. Opening the driver's side, he shoved her into the car, pushing her all the way over to the passenger side before clambering in after her and starting the car. He slammed the door and reversed out of the parking space just as Sai neared where he had been parked. He chuckled at the look on Sai's face. Served the bastard right! He just needed to get her somewhere private where he could talk to her, convince her... something!

"Sasuke," Hinata squealed as he stepped on the gas pedal and sped out of the parking lot. He ignored her. She would just have to wait until he was ready to talk. As it was, deperation and longing and _Hinata_ were spinning through his mind, making it hard to really think enough to carry conversation. The drive was quiet for the most part after Hinata realized he was not in a state to talk to her at the moment, and when Sasuke finally pulled into an open field outside the Konohagakure gates, Hinata turned to him again.

"Where is this?" she asked. The field stretched out for miles and had long, knee high grass all throughout. Several trees dotted it, but there weren't many. This was one of Sasuke's favourite, most cherished places. Sasuke loved how blue sky met green grass, and how far away from the bustle of Konohagakure it all seemed. It used to be his own private world.

"I used to sing here when I got lonely. I used to pretend..." Sasuke stopped speaking then, embarrassed at the pathetic story.

"Pretend what?" Hinata questioned, her grey eyes large and somewhat tormented. Sasuke couldn't deny her, no matter how pathetic the story, not when she was looking at him like that.

"I used to pretend that all this grass was a sea of people that would never leave me... friends...I used to pretend that my parents... that my parents still loved me, and that they were here... those were only on my weak days, though," Sasuke said quietly. "I just wished I was like every other kid and not all by myself. For years no one knew that my parents had gone. Itachi served three separate terms in the war. He was very young, but he was very talented when it came to sharpshooting, and the ANBU thought it feasible to allow him to fight from so young an age. The first term was two years starting when I was seven, and then he left again when I was twelve, and spent three years. When he came back when I was almost sixteen, he only stayed home for half year, and he only just recently returned from his six year term," Sasuke continued.

"Sasuke," Hinata murmured, her eyes soft.

"He sent me to the house of some of his friends... but I ran away... when... when Mizuki-san hit me... I didn't tell anyone where I was, and I always went to school so no one would know... no one would know that I wasn't wanted, because if they knew my parents didn't want me, and my brother had left me, and Mizuki... no one would want me..." Sasuke chuckled darkly, the pressure in his chest not alleviating. What if telling her this made her want to leave him too? He just wanted her to understand.

Sasuke stepped out of the car. He stalked round to her side and opened the door for her. She stepped out, her eyes telling him to continue, but he pulled her into his arms instead, shutting the car door behind her with his foot. He just looked at her, taking in her features, her eyes, and how she was acting around him. Her grey eyes were as large as he remembered, her skin was softer than he remembered, her lips were more tantalizing than ever... her scent was more intoxicating that it had been before. However, he was back to being shy around him, which meant his progress had been almost all lost. His heart squeezed, and he felt a heavy mixture of anger and disappointment. He crushed his lips to hers, desperate to taste her again. The feeling of her ample chest pressing against heated his blood and his skin. She wasn't responding, but Sasuke wouldn't give up.

Her mouth moved against his after a moment's pause, and then Sasuke went feral. His tongue plunged into the warmth of her mouth and began stroking hers rapidly. She felt so good against him, and for a moment, he forgot that Sai had kissed her just a few minutes before. He yanked her head closer, tilting his head to get a better angle while pushing her backwards until her back hit the car. She was intoxicating him, stealing his self control with her moans, feeding his desire with her encouraging mewls. Sasuke groaned into her mouth as her tongue swiped against his lower lip, and then sucked her upper lip. He moved to her lower lip, and nibbled it roughly, skilfully enough to excite, but not harshly enough to cause pain. Clasping both cheeks in his hands Sasuke kissed her with all the pent up pain and longing that had been tormenting him these past two weeks of not being able to see her... of thinking of her being with Sai. He wanted to wipe Sai's existence from her mind. His heart was thundering in his chest with dizzying intensity and he had to remind himself to breathe.

"How dare you forget about me," he growled against her lips when he tasted salt on them. She had started to cry silently. "I waited all night for you... you never showed up, Hina-chan, you left me there at the restaurant. I stayed until they closed, but you didn't come," he choked out. "And you avoided me for two weeks. How could you kick me under the bus for _Sai?_ I was the one that wrote all those songs to you... I was the one that valued you as a woman instead of taking you to bed like I so ached to do. I was the one that stayed when he _hit_ you! Why would you stay away from me when I needed you so badly?"

Before she could answer, he dropped his hands to her waist and slid her along the side of the car until she was at the front of the car. He effortlessly lifted her so she was sitting on the front hood of the car and pressed his nose to her neck, inhaling the scent that his brain had lost touch with after two weeks away from her. He moved between her legs, grabbed her face again, and returned his lips to hers. He groaned when her arms slid slowly over his shoulders. The kiss was soft and searching, and his fingers gently stroked short paths on the sensitive skin behind her ears.

"You nearly killed me, woman," he rasped against her throat when his lips moved there to nuzzle her neck. His mouth returned to hers and he pressed small, gentle kisses against her lips and cheeks. He placed tender kisses over her chin and jaw and ran his fingers through her silky hair. "I can't survive without you," he moaned, pulling away to look into her eyes. "Hinata, please," he begged when her gaze dropped. "I just wish you would look at me. Please, look at me."

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**Don't hate me for this chapter! Life is life, and Sasuke couldn't just breeze through after he got Hinata's attention. You all may have realized by now that she doesn't feel for him as much as he does for her, but that is a realistic occurrence. The next chapter, hopefully, will have some Hinata POV explaining how she switched from Naruto to Sasuke, and how she feels in all this. I typed this all in one night to make up for taking so long with my other chapters! This chapter seemed to just flow. It's kinda sad, I know, but I had only hinted at Sasuke's past before, so I thought I might include it here. I also wanted to get us all in Sasuke's head a bit, and also explain a bit of why Sai was jealous in the last chapter. I would definitely love to know what you think of this chapter, so please review! Love you guys!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Eh! Based on the response to the last chapter, I decided to skip one chapter of ****_Involuntary Addiction _****and move right ahead to chapter 12 of this story. The Guest review (yes that really long one) was not at all considered a flame! To be honest, similar thoughts ran through my mind, even though I am the author and I know the reason why! I just hope you will think the reasons make sense; after all, Hinata is only human! I actually encourage thought stimulating reviews, so Guest, keep them coming! (^_^)! And just to let you know, I never intended to make Hinata a perfect little person that does what people want her to. She has issues just like actual people, which I hope to portray in this chapter. Also, I wouldn't exactly term her a floozy, since she never was in a relationship with Naruto, and she was not the one to approach Sai…. Eh… I am getting ahead of myself… read on… (^_^)**

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Hinata felt the tears squeezing from beneath her lids as Sasuke begged her to look at him. What was going on? _'Kami, I feel so confused! It was not supposed to turn out this way at all!' _Hinata cried out inwardly, her heart hurting, her eyes burning, and the weight of guilt pressing down on her shoulders. What was with her and these guys? She'd never been this way before, and it displeased her. She felt cruel, but she really did not know what to do.

Just a moment ago, when Sasuke had kissed her, the reality of how much she'd missed him hit her full force. The emotions that arose the moment his lips crushed against hers and his warm hands pulled her closer forced hot tears from her eyes. _'What have I done? What am I doing?'_ she thought then, feeling wound up, her chest tight, her heart racing and her mind whirring.

When she was with Sasuke, she felt like a woman, but she was only Hyuuga Hinata, and he was a rock-star. There was just that huge gap that seemed to be between them. What if he tired of her? She wasn't the type to get involved in the hype of the musical world he was a part of, and he had so many female fans that were more beautiful than she was, maybe more special than she was too… what if he got bored with her? She had been trying not to think such thoughts, and had been focusing on enjoying each late night phone-call, each random visit, each moment with Sasuke, but when Sai had confessed, it had thrown her for a loop. Sai was her best friend, and he had just returned after being away for so very long, but she hadn't even gotten used to the idea of actually having someone in love with her, and now she had two and no idea what to do about it. How could she choose Sasuke, after only knowing him a couple of weeks, and how could she choose Sai, after being with Sasuke? Her mind took her back to the day Sai had confessed his love.

* * *

_Hinata was lying on her stomach in the living room, reading, when the distinctive sound of Sai's convertible horn sounded from outside. Hinata scrambled to her feet. She'd missed him, considering he was one of her best friends, and that she hadn't really gotten a chance to talk to him in a week. She wasn't really put off by his hitting her, because she knew he hadn't been aiming for her, but she figured he was feeling pretty bad about it. _

_"Sai," she said, opening the door before he knocked, with a smile on her face. Sai was standing in front of her doorway, his arm raised to knock and a worried look on his face. _

_"Hinata, I'm sorry… I'm sorry I hit you. I really didn't mean to and I-"_

_"I forgive you, I know you would never hurt me, Sai," she said with a smile. "I wish you hadn't stayed away so long though. We're friends; we could have talked about it." She stepped back, allowing him room to enter her apartment. He entered, then spun on his heel and grasped her shoulders. _

_"That's just it, though, Hinata," he said, his voice rasping. "I don't want to be friends anymore." At her horrified look, he continued, his words tumbling into each other. "Ah, that came out wrong! I meant… I meant I want to be more than friends… I want to be in a relationship with you. Please, would you go out with me?" Hinata's heart began to pound in her chest. Sai was asking her out? But that could not be; she was dating Sasuke. Did people date more than one person at a time? She was never really on the dating scene, so she wouldn't know. _

_"Sai… I don't think we can go out like that," she whispered, a pensive frown on her face. "I mean, I am dating Sasuke right now," she continued. Her heart squeezed when Sai's face fell. He released one of her shoulders and raked his fingers through his hair. _

_"Hinata, please… give me a chance to prove to you that I'm better for you than he is. I would treat you right. Just give me a chance," he pleaded, with his voice and his eyes beseeching her to consider what he was saying. Hinata didn't know what to do. _

_This was really not an area in which she had any experience, because she'd never really had anyone want to be with her before. She had always been the one longing for someone to look her way, to see her. Hinata couldn't really identify with what Sai and Sasuke saw in her. They both told her numerous times that she was beautiful, but she only felt beautiful when Sasuke was there, his dark eyes honest and his soft toned voice soothing away her fears and doubts… but when she was by herself, they came back full force with cases from her past to match._

_"I can't… I can't do that to Sasuke, Sai. He said … he wants more than just sex, he said. He told me he wants to make love when the time is right," Hinata tried to reason. The way Sasuke spoke about it meant he had had some experience in the subject and regardless of the fact that he hadn't known her while formulating said experience, it still created an uncomfortable twinge in Hinata's insides. She didn't know the difference between sex and making love. As far as she knew, those were only two different ways to say 'intercourse' and making love was the one the more romantic people tended to use. But Sasuke seemed to think they were two completely different acts altogether._

_"He is playing you," Sai cried out then, his hands gripping her shoulders tighter. "There's no difference between sex and making love." Hinata shook her head at his words and he let her go altogether in lieu of pacing about the room in front of her. _

_"He told me he loves me," Hinata whispered. Sai stopped pacing and turned to face her. One of his eyebrows was raised, and he was staring at her as if she was a gullible child._

_"And you just took his word for it? How can you just take his word for it? He is a rock-star, Hinata. He knows how to get girls." _

_The rest of the conversation came as a blur to Hinata, with one main theme. Sai loved her, and had always loved her, and had been waiting for her. Looking back into her past, she could clearly see the evidence of his affection, and things she had overlooked, faces he'd made that she hadn't thought anything of, things he'd said that hadn't meant anything to her… it all made sense now… and he was begging for a chance. She knew him for almost all her life so what sort of person would she be to not give him at least a chance? Sure he didn't make her heart race or her blood pump like Sasuke did, but that was not the makings of any relationship she wanted. Her parents had told her before they died that love was a beautiful thing, and should not be confused with lust. So far, Hinata was so much in lust with Sasuke she wasn't sure that she was really in love with him. Sai, on the other hand, she loved as a friend at least… a relationship; a sturdy one at that, could form from that, could it not? _

_However when Sai had pulled her close and kissed her, her first instinct was to push him away, but she had let him. And Sai was a good kisser. Considering how he had just said he loved her since he had first seen her, Hinata didn't want to think about why he was such a good kisser. Still, he hadn't lit her blood on fire like Sasuke did, but it wasn't as if there was no reaction at all either. _

_"Hinata…" At first, Hinata had thought that it was Sai who had breathed her name, but the voice she recognized, and it was Sasuke's… and the pain in it pushed her away from her childhood friend._

_"Sasuke?" she whispered… whispered because the fear threatened to choke her. The fear that in not being able to just choose one man on the spot like she instinctively knew both men wanted her to do would have her losing them both. She watched Sasuke's eyes dart to her lips and a mixture of anger, disappointment and hurt swirled in his dark orbs. "Sasuke… what are you doing here?" she whispered again. Why did he have to choose now to appear? She hadn't even been given the chance to sit down and really think about what Sai had told her. A sad smile stretched Sasuke's lips, not quite making it to his eyes, though she felt inside herself that he was putting forth a valiant effort._

_"What I always do, Hinata," he choked… and Hinata's heart felt like it was being crushed under the guilt she felt for putting that pain in his lovely eyes. The things Sasuke was saying, about not being able to stay away from her… they made her heart soar at the same time it made her feel to lock herself away from both men because of the hurt she seemed to be causing them. What was wrong with her?_

* * *

Hinata could clearly remember the first time she had gone out with someone. It hadn't been his choice, because he had wanted to get with one of her friends. She had been longing to be seen by him for months, though. Hinata remembered the first time she had sex. It hadn't been how she had wanted it to go. Her date had been clearly bored with her the entire time even though she had thought he was very interesting, and he had been totally drunk by the time the date was over. He hadn't spent much time making her feel comfortable, but rather sought his own gratification. When it had been over, she had felt cheap and unwanted, because he hadn't even spent the night and she heard him on the phone telling one of his friends that 'she hadn't been a good lay'. Hinata had not given up on finding someone, even though it had taken her some time to go back out and try again. Then she had seen Naruto, and had gone completely fan girl over him, fantasizing that he would pick her from the crowd, even though she knew that such a thing was virtually impossible.

She had been exhilarated when she had been chosen to get in the Team 7 limo that first time, and she had gotten to sit with Naruto too… however, being next to him had felt hollow and unreal, and it was there that she had first noticed Sasuke staring at her. She hadn't thought much of it though, as she had been determined to enjoy her time with Naruto. He had been nice to her, but focused entirely on her body, rather than her as a person. Then, he had forgotten about her. Hinata remembered the night at the barbeque restaurant when Naruto had found her and Karin in the posterior parking lot. He had acted like he had honestly seen her for the first time. That had stung; Hinata was used to being forgotten by men around her, but Naruto forgetting her made her realize that maybe she was wasting her time. After all, his bandmate had remembered her and had asked Naruto to exchange fans with him, but she had refused, knowing how utterly cheap and disposable it would make her feel. Still, she couldn't deny the faint pleasure she had felt when she saw the spark of recognition in Sasuke's eyes.

Later that night, after a make-out session with Naruto in which she had felt completely hollow, apart from the natural reaction to kissing a rock-star, Hinata had been about to leave when she had heard Sasuke's voice literally calling out to her. After that, and her experience with him while putting on his make-up for the show, Hinata had been drawn to him, _really looking at him_ for the first time after the release of _Way out Here._ It wasn't that she was flighty, per se, but Sasuke had an intense way of looking at her that made it hard to think of anyone or anything else, and when he had made direct eye contact with her after the song, she just felt the words of the song reverberating through her being. Then he had asked her out.

Thinking about the whole situation now, Hinata felt incredibly stupid even as she thought of Sai. Being with him had been fun; she could be herself, they had lots of laughs, and really, up until the point where he had tried to have sex with her, she had been enjoying herself to some extent. Of course, the guilt of avoiding Sasuke had been ever present, and being with Sai was not nearly as exhilarating as being with Sasuke, but she felt she had owed it to herself and to her childhood friend to at least give the relationship a try.

"I'm sorry," she blubbered then, tilting her head up to look in Sasuke's eyes. "I'm sorry I hurt you… I really didn't mean to! I've made such a mess of this!" His dark eyes scanned her face, as if unsure of her honesty. "I didn't know what to do, or to say… I'm sorry I didn't come to the restaurant, but Sai…" her voice broke.

* * *

_Hinata pulled her short jacket over her top and reached for her car keys. A warm hand clamped over hers as soon as she grasped the cold metal keys. Hinata turned around to face Sai who had a dark, possessive expression on his face that somewhat scared her. It fell away, however, when he spoke._

_"Don't go, Hinata. Please don't go." His voice sounded thick and pained, and the lower rims of his eyes were red. He pulled her against his chest. "He's had you for two weeks, and I've just gotten you to see me… please don't go now," he moaned. _

_"Sai…" Hinata whispered, not wanting to hurt him, but knowing she should really go. "I have to go. He's waiting for me…" _

_"NO," Sai said harshly, holding her tighter around him. "No, don't go. If he loves you as he says, he will understand," he whispered hoarsely against her ear. He wrapped both arms aroud her so she couldn't escape._

_"Sai, I don't think that it's fair to assume…"_

_"Hinata," he murmured against her cheek, "If he can't allow you some time to get your head around everything, he doesn't deserve you. He doesn't know you like I do." What he said made sense, sort of. If he loved her, he would understand, right? Hinata felt like she was making the wrong decision, but the earnest look in Sai's usually shuttered eyes, the way he was trembling made her positive that she could not leave him… not like this. _

* * *

"What about Sai?" Sasuke questioned, his voice gentle, but his hands trembling.

"He said you would understand that I needed some time to get my head around everything… and that if you didn't, you didn't really love me… but the more I think about it, the less it makes sense to me and I am so confused… I am not used to being in relationships… I've always been a loner, always in the background, always forgotten, and then you and Sai just… Then, he convinced me that he should have two unbroken weeks with me, like you did, but even when I was agreeing, it didn't feel right but I didn't know what to do and I'm so sorry about that Sasu-"

Her ramble was cut off when Sasuke's lips pressed to hers, drowning out her voice, her words, her thoughts. She didn't deserve him.

"Maybe the background was saving you for me," Sasuke whispered against her lips when he drew back for a breath. "Because you're so damn beautiful and it's a wonder that some guy hasn't got his ring on you already." Hinata's eyes burned even more than they had been before. She didn't deserve him. "Tell me, Hina-hime… did you remember me? Did you think about me at all?"

"Un! I did… I thought about you, and I looked for my phone to call, and when I couldn't find it, I stopped looking because was too scared… it had already been several days since I missed the date and… I was too cowardly to face you after Sai kissed me… I'm so-"

Again, her words were cut off by Sasuke's lips.

* * *

Sasuke was battling the intense feelings of both relief and boiling anger. Sai, that bastard. He had manipulated Hinata, knowing her history and taking advantage of his knowledge, and attempted to sabotage the relationship Sasuke had been trying so very hard to build. But she had remembered him, she had thought about him and he selfishly hoped her dreams had been tormented by him. He couldn't get enough of her lips. He was still hurting, but _kami_, _he loved her. _He loved her so very much.

"We can work it out, Hinata, we can work it out. You just have to talk to me… please don't avoid me. I would never intentionally hurt you, I promise. But you have to let me know how you're feeling," Sasuke said, desperate to stop her tears, to make her feel at ease, and he realized that for the first time, he wasn't thinking solely of how much _he wanted _ her, but about her wants too. He felt a little sick inside, knowing that for as much as he'd longed for her, he hadn't been focused on how _she_ felt, and _her _past, or _her _thoughts. He'd just wanted her to be his. He cupped her cheeks in his palms, his heart swelling a little when she nodded.

"B-but… you have to talk to me too… sometimes I don't know if you love me like you say you do… I mean, you've only known me two weeks and…" She stopped speaking when Sasuke chuckled a bit. She thought he had only known her two weeks? Ludicrous.

"I've known you for almost a year, Hinata," Sasuke murmured, pressing his forehead to hers. "I just didn't know your name. All the Team 7 songs from _Angel _through to _Thunderstorm _and all the way to _Way out Here_ were for you. I so desperately wanted you to notice me, to see me, but I was too scared to approach you, because I am me… tainted and dark and you're so beautiful… you're so fresh and you stood out in the crowd… I just ached for you to hear me crying out to you, and I was so _jealous_ of Naruto… until I got the balls enough to ask you out… and then it was better than I had imagined, being with you, kissing you, holding you, speaking to you…" This time it was Sasuke's words to get chopped off, because Hinata had flung her arms around his neck and swallowed his words with her mouth.

Sasuke felt his knees weaken so much that he had to lean against her and the car to stay on his feet. Where was this coming from? Her tongue flicked out across his lower lip, and darted into his mouth when he gasped. Her fingers were in his hair, her body was pressed to his and Sasuke could barely think… he couldn't think.

"Be mine, Hinata… please, give me the chance. Sai had years with you, and he never approached you. I didn't have years, and I do want to be with you so very badly," Sasuke groaned against her lips, aware that _he, _Uchiha Sasuke, was begging a woman to consider him, but his pride was locked and chained at the moment, and he couldn't give a damn. She looked up at him, eyes glistening, and gave one short nod. Satisfied that she would at least give him a chance, he continued. "I want you to come to Amegakure with Team 7. They are all going on the trailer, but… would you come there with me in my car? It won't be as comfortable as the trailer, but we can get to talk…" he suggested shyly, his dark eyes barely meeting hers.

_'Please say you'll come,'_ he was chanting mentally, willing her to agree. His heart almost left his chest when she gave one small nod. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the squeal of car tires as Sai's convertible pulled into the open field.

* * *

**I hope things make a bit more sense to you guys now. If not, I really wanted to portray that Hinata was never someone with a lot of self confidence, and the fact that someone like Sasuke found her appealing is not something she can identify with. There is more that I hoped to not have to spell out here, but would rather include later in a conversation instead of her rather jumbled thoughts in this chapter. Once again, I like that I made you think, and I love all the comments, and to those who think that the characters are a bit OOC, welcome to , and welcome to AU. (^_^). As usual, please let me know what you think, and especially if you can see, however wrong her approach was, where Hinata was coming from, and that what happened was not entirely her fault. **


	13. Chapter 13

**As this is a story fuelled by reviews, and EXCELLENT reviews at that, this chapter will introduce a couple changes. Since the last few chapters were all on the same day, pretty much, I want to get out of 'this week' at least before doing ****_Involuntary Addiction _****so that I at least have some scope to write. First, I just wanna say Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those that followed and favorited, but especially to those that took the time to review (especially those really long ones... teehee). My life has been in an upheaval of late, and the reviews have been more encouraging than you know! Then, I want to say that you guys should keep up the reviews, because they give me so much inspiration and shape this story so, so much! I am glad that you guys understood what I was trying to bring across last chapter, and to the guest who implied that Hinata was a bit weak – I know, right? It's just that I have been in her situation to some extent before, where there is more than one person trying to gain one's attention, and it can create a lot of doubt, especially if one was never really one that ever had the spotlight or even friends. Also, it makes one very indecisive, especially if one is as soft hearted as I am… 'who the hell should one choose?' is always a blaring question... Still, I completely agree with your statement, and I thank you so much for it! Seriously, you guys, I was planning to have an early night, but then I kept remembering your reviews and I literally could not sleep!**

**To the Guest with the long review: Hinata kissed Sai at the parking lot because, well, that's something you do when you're in a relationship with someone and they are leaving. To clarify a point I had tried to bring out last chapter, Hinata loves Sai as a friend… he is pretty much her best friend. She does not want to form a relationship based on lust alone, because that does not always last. Many very successful couples have started from the people being best friends. She did not want to pass up an opportunity for true love that would last. Unfortunately, as she is not perfect and has her own issues which Sai took advantage of, she made a mess of giving him an opportunity and hurt Sasuke, herself and Sai in the mix. **

**To: Psuedobeast: I am so sorry that the flashbacks and thoughts are confusing! I didn't see it that way… (T_T)! Owkie, to explain, Flashbacks usually have dialogue mixed in, and are supposed to be enclosed by a line above it, and a line below it. **

**To the reviewer that said something about Itachi: Hinata was not really interested in Itachi. She had nothing doing, he asked her out for a drink since neither of them were in the band… she blushed, but come one, guys… Itachi is HAWT! Fu fu fu!**

** Sorry for the long AN! Here we go…**

* * *

Sai was over at them in a matter of seconds, dust spewing from behind the wheels of his convertible as the car screeched to a halt. He was out of the car before it even stopped moving and was advancing towards Sasuke and Hinata with a thunderous expression on his face. Hinata was trembling. She'd never seen an expression like that on Sai's face before, not even on the night that he had attacked Sasuke.

"Hinata," he growled, his eyes pinned on Sasuke. "Move away from him." Hinata's eyes widened a bit at his demand. His fists were clenching and unclenching and he looked as if he was barely holding himself in check. Hinata was panicking. What was it with these guys and their lousy timing? Why did they always appear at moments where something huge was happening and she would have needed time to think? Sasuke's hand was at her back. He wasn't speaking. "Hinata," Sai growled again, his glare still pinned upon Sasuke's face. There was a vein bulging in his forehead. "Step away from him," he demanded again, a tone of warning ringing low in his voice. Hinata could bear it no longer. Her back went stiff as anger pooled in her stomach.

"No," she said stubbornly, refusing to move. Sai started, his gaze, still angry, swinging to her.

"What did you say?" His voice had gone quieter, the slight breathiness telling her he was _livid._ Well, so was she.

"I said NO!" she screamed then, her sudden courage fuelled by many things; fuelled by anger at herself for being pulled along in the tides of the desires of the two men vying for her attention, frustration for not being able to speak up for her own damn self or think about what it was that _she_ wanted, as if she was not as important as they were. She was angry at them for not giving her the time she needed to _just think!_ She was also fuelled by Sasuke's hand at her back. Both men jumped at her outburst. "Why won't you stop telling me what to do? Just let me think, okay?" she declared hotly feeling anger that was not just as a result of recent happenings, but that had been brewing for years. She stormed over to Sai and jabbed him in the chest.

"Hinata," he started, but she cut him off.

"No, Sai. NO! The past two weeks you've been… different, and I don't like it! The things you say, and the things you imply… It's just wrong! _You never listen to me! _You make me feel like I am stupid, like I don't know what I want. Well I know what I don't want. I _don't _want to move so you can get into it with Sasuke again! This time, I want to choose who I stay with, when I stay with them, and why I stay with them. _Back off, Sai. Back off. _I know before I was indecisive, and I know I may end up hurting someone and myself in the long run, but I _need to change!_ I need to start thinking for myself and not just going along with everything you guys say, and it starts _now_!" That said, Hinata spun on her heel after giving Sai one last angry glare, and got in Sasuke's car, slamming the door beside her. She was painfully conscious that speaking in anger was almost never the right thing to do, especially if all the anger was not induced by the person being spoken to, but she had already done it. As soon as the door closed and she was by herself in the tinted car, the anger seeped from her body, leaving behind emptiness; a coldness that had her trembling.

* * *

Outside, Sasuke was shell-shocked. What the _hell _had just happened? Was _that_ the real Hinata? Even in his state of shock, Sasuke decided he liked that fire a little bit too much, especially since it hadn't been aimed at him. For once, Sasuke could be a bit thankful for the bleeding heart syndrome he seemed to have had recently… it had kept him out of that blast. Sai had not been so lucky. The pianist was standing a couple feet before him, fists clenched, arms straight and stiff at his sides, eyes wide and face red with shock and anger. Sasuke could see the pain on the man's face too, but he didn't pity him in the least. That's what he got for being a damned idiot. How could he claim to be in love with someone like Hinata for years and only just be making a move now? A sudden flash of memory crashed through Sasuke's mind with the subtlety of an explosion.

* * *

_Not able to hold back any longer, Hinata's rule be damned, Sasuke dropped a small kiss to her lips, flicking his tongue into her mouth for a little taste to last him until later. 'That was nowhere near enough, but I guess it will have to do… for now,' Sasuke thought with a small grin. He pushed his face into her neck, inhaling her scent, a small shiver passing through him when she rubbed her jaw against the top of his head. Sasuke sighed, turning his head to regard the others in the room. Sai was giving him a death glare from the other side of the room, his displeasure clear in his mouth, his eyes, his clenched jaw, his fisted hands and his overall aura. Sasuke met him glare for glare, then mouthed a taunt at the pianist. _

_"You'll never win."_

* * *

It was that statement wasn't it; the stimulus that had spurred Sai into action. Sasuke had a feeling that normally Sai would just wait out whatever relationship Hinata got into and then was miraculously there when it ended. However, Sasuke had no intention of the tentative relationship between himself and Hinata coming to any '_end'. _Sasuke gave Sai a once over, taking in his derby perched fashionably on his head, his loose white T-shirt fluttering in the slight breeze and the murderous expression on his face.

"What did you do?" Sai growled, his shoulders shaking under the pressure of keeping himself under control.

"Didn't you hear her? Apparently it was mostly you doing the doing," Sasuke replied calmly… since he was not the one bearing the brunt of Hinata's uncharacteristic anger. If possible, Sai's murderous glower darkened even further.

"What did you say to her to make her… to make her do _that?_" Sai demanded, so stiff his entire body was now trembling. Sasuke was done with him. In any case, it was almost time for Team 7 to leave out and they would most likely have to make a stop at Hinata's place so that they could get some of her clothes.

"Hn," Sasuke replied, turning his back on Sai and walking around to the other side of the car. Sasuke was a bit frustrated with Hinata because of her outburst… it would be stupid of him to have a beef with Sai after her explosion, but he was really, really angry at the pianist for fudging up his hard earned success. Sasuke didn't know if it was just a shift in the air, or he had heard the low rustle when Sai moved, but something had him turning around… in time to see Sai flying at him, fists drawn and eyes dark. Sasuke had had enough.

He relied on the street instincts he had picked up as a rich, but abandoned adolescent roaming the streets in the absence of his parents and brother, turning at the last second with his fist clenched at waist height. He tensed his wrist and drove his fist forward the same moment he stepped forward and evaded Sai's attack; the result being that Sai's swift attack was put to Sasuke's advantage. The momentum of Sai's advance, coupled with the force in which Sasuke pushed his clenched fist forward into the pianist's stomach had Sai heaving and gasping for breath at the same time. Sasuke could hear the air hissing through Sai's throat since the two men were pretty much shoulder to shoulder. Sai staggered two steps backwards, clutching his stomach as he tried not to lose the contents of his gut. Sasuke was angry, but he wasn't stupid. The last time, Hinata hadn't wanted him to really hurt her friend, and he supposed that even after her outburst, she would still consider Sai one of her best friends. He really wanted to beat Sai unconscious, but he restrained himself for Hinata's (and, since Hinata's feelings had a way of affecting him, his) sake. Sasuke, however, couldn't resist one parting shot.

"You should have listened to me when I told you not to push it," Sasuke said calmly, even though his blood was pumping and his adrenaline racing. For the first time in a long time, Sasuke felt _in control_. He turned, but Sai wasn't done. With a low growl, the pianist lunged again, but Sasuke was ready for him. His clenched fist connected squarely with Sai's chin in a solid uppercut that had Sai rising to the tips of his toes then stumbling backwards before falling flat on his rear, his face tipped upwards and his eyes wide and unfocused. Sasuke knew he had hit Sai harder than he had intended to, but the anger in him seemed to have funneled itself into his fist as if subconsciously knowing he probably would never get another chance to really _hit _Sai like he had wanted to ever since that first date with Hinata. Sasuke shook his head slightly in disgust, and got in the driver's side of the car.

The car was cooler than the outside was, having been left on ever since they arrived. The cool leather seats sunk slightly under Sasuke's weight, enveloping him in sheer comfort. He rested his head back, flexing his fingers against the pain that came from a fistfight. Turning his head slightly, he glanced at Hinata from the corner of his eye. She was trembling.

"Oi, you alright?" he said, as calmly as he could, not wanting to alarm her in any way. There was a second of silence before her quiet reply.

"I'm not quite sure." Sasuke's heart squeezed a bit at her wavering tone. He turned fully to her. Looked at her. Then he reached for her and pulled her across the seats to sit sideways on his lap.

"C'mere," he murmured soothingly, tugging her closer to his chest. It was apparently the right move, for she curled into him. He slid his arms around her, holding her, but not saying anything. What was there for him to say? It was not like he'd had any relationships either… what was he supposed to say in this instance?

"I hurt him, didn't I?" she whispered then, a shudder running down her spine.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. "You did your best. You were really brave," he said then, knowing it to be the truth. She sighed in desolation and self-depreciation. "If it helps any," Sasuke murmured, tipping her chin with a curled finger so that she was looking at him. "You looked damn sexy while screaming at him," Sasuke continued, a rakish grin on his lips. She looked down swiftly, but not before Sasuke saw the small smile on her lips. He bumped his nose against her cheek, nudging her gently in an attempt to have her face him. "Is it too soon to ask for a kiss?" he asked in a low but playful tone, inhaling her scent… he'd missed her so much! His tone may have been playful, but Sasuke was as serious as cancer inside. He needed that kiss… that confirmation that he was still on her good side… just to know if her decision to stay with him could be real.

He got his answer when she turned her face to his and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. It was chaste, really… a peck that one would give to a child… but Sasuke's heart raced anyways. He returned it in a quicker motion than she had used. Oh, Kami he'd missed her. Her lips slightly pursed beneath his, Sasuke pressed kisses to them with a rapidly accelerating pace. He caught her lower lip between his and ran his tongue along the length of her mouth.

"I missed you," he whispered against her cheek, his breath ghosting over her soft skin. She looked at him with wide grey eyes, and he could see in them that she was struggling not to doubt him. "Oh, you don't believe me, eh?" he asked, a rakish chuckle escaping his lips. "Well, I guess I will just have to show you."

* * *

"I have a hard time believing you," Sasuke said, taking his eye off the road for a short moment to shoot a glance at Hinata on his laptop screen. She had decided not to come to the show in Amegakure after all in favor of staying home for some time to think, and Itachi had taken her place in the trailer. However, Sasuke, not the least bit inclined to drive all the way to Amegakure in the same vehicle as Sai had still driven by himself, and had decided to video-chat with Hinata… he wouldn't want her to get lonely, now would he? She turned to him, her expression showing that she was a bit miffed at his lack of belief. "I mean, I don't think you're lying," Sasuke interjected quickly. "It's just that you're _gorgeous_ Hinata, and it's damned hard to think of men not noticing you. Now I don't mean to brag," he continued, his tone clearly one that indicated bragging, "But Team 7 has _tons_ of fans, and I managed to see you in the sea of people _every single time_," he continued. He shot another glance at her, taking in her slightly surprised expression. "What, you don't believe me now?" Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing in playful anger.

"Not entirely," she replied, her voice that soft whispery tone that made his skin tingle.

"Fine… I can prove it anyway," he said nonchalantly, his gaze back on the highway stretching before him, the headlights making conical shapes on the night-darkened road. "The performance before I wrote _Angel_ was the first time I saw you. You were wearing a white dress with no sleeves, and you had a red butterfly-shaped clip in your hair. I couldn't take my eyes off you… I remember almost choking up in the microphone. When I got home that night, I started writing almost immediately… do you remember the lyrics to _Angel?_" he asked, taking another glance at her. A red flush was on her cheeks… she remembered. Deciding to make her blush more, Sasuke began to sing the song that had turned around Team 7's dwindling fan base.

_White dress, red clip, hair like smoke in the wind_

_Your halo makes me wish I hadn't sinned_

_You'll never see me will you, Angel?_

_Will I ever be worthy of you?_

His singing the song had the desired effect, and her face reddened even further, causing a bubble of self-satisfaction to float in Sasuke's chest. He wanted to see more.

_Angel, would you tear your wings off for me?_

_When will I see you again?_

_Angel, would you come down to earth for me?_

_Or will you hide as I count to ten?_

_Angel…_

Hinata was covering her face with her hands at this point, peering at him through open fingers. Sasuke smiled and continued singing softly to her.

_Sweet smile, eyes like the thunderclouds above_

_I want to sink myself in your love_

_Can you hear me begging, Angel?_

_Will I ever be worthy of you?_

"Sing the chorus with me, Hinata," he prodded gently. She looked to him with mortified eyes, shaking her head 'no'. Her entire face was dark red, apparent even on the computer screen.

_Angel, would you tear your wings off for me?_

"C'mon, sing, Hina-hime," Sasuke pleaded gently, reaching one hand off the steering wheel to slightly hide his own reddening cheeks. "You know the words, don't you?" Her whispery voice tremulously joined his.

_When will I see you again?_

_Angel, would you come down to earth for me?_

_Or will you hide as I count to ten?_

_Angel…_

Sasuke's heart squeezed almost painfully as her voice grew steadier. He had never thought singing with her would feel anything like this.

_(One, two, three)_

_You're too high for a mere mortal like me_

_(Four, five, six)_

_You're like rain with diamonds in the mix_

_(Seven, eight, nine)_

_Angel, I do so want you to be mine_

_(Ten…)_

_When will I see you again?_

Their eyes met over the webcam as they got ready for the last chorus. Without even realizing, Hinata's voice had dropped to a whispery alto that somehow complemented Sasuke's clearer voice, her harmony blending with the Team 7 original song.

_Angel, would you tear your wings off for me_

_(So I can catch you)_

_When will I see you again?_

_(Oh, I really want to)_

_Angel, would you come down to earth for me?_

_(Where I can reach you)_

_Or will you hide as I count to ten?_

_Angel…_

They had been singing without music and over video-chat, of all things, but Sasuke thought it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever heard. He knew that he wasn't going to tell anyone how well Hinata sang out of pure selfishness… he didn't want anyone else hearing what he had just heard. The last note faded, and Sasuke couldn't take his eyes off her. He pulled over to the side of the road… just to be on the safe side.

"I'm never telling anyone how well you sing. Don't you dare sing that song for anyone," Sasuke growled, extraordinarily pleased but extremely possessive as well. She gave him a soft, shy smile before turning her face to the side. After a few more minutes of light chatter – Sasuke had to force himself to keep it all simple and relatively platonic, though he ached to be amorous in hopes it would color her decision in his favor – they said good-night and signed off. It was all well and good… he had to catch back up with the Team 7 trailer and her staring at him, even via video-chat, would have been a distraction he might not have been able to handle.

* * *

Sasuke shifted his footing and stared out into the Amegakure crowd. It was the fifth day on tour, and Sasuke was missing Hinata something awful. Sure he tried to talk to her every night, purely because sometimes he craved her voice, but it wasn't like he always got a chance, and had ended up only actually conversing with her the night before. In his defense, after the shows, there were fans, press conferences, after parties… and the list went on, and by the time he got some time to himself he was dead tired.

He pulled the microphone closer to his lips as he leaned forward, his hair swinging forward with the movement. He had been growing his hair out since the time he'd nearly made love to Hinata… at first, he had been too deliriously happy to waste time cutting it, then after, far too devastated and lethargic to pull up the energy. Thus, it was hanging loose and lightly brushing his shoulders.

"I thought I might open a new song in Amegakure," he said, having to pause because the crowd roared so loudly he couldn't be heard anyway. "So it's called '_So What?',_ and it's dedicated to someone I love very much… and I hope she is listening," Sasuke continued, making eye contact with the live coverage cameras, knowing in himself that Hinata was watching from home… he'd made her promise.

He started the song softly, with only chimes and a few light chords.

_So what if I can't sleep 'cuz I'm thinking of you?_

_So what if I didn't remember the sky was blue?_

_So what if when I lose my keys I cannot care?_

_So what if I can't breathe just 'cuz you're standing there?_

The music had joined slowly in the opening verse, and was kicking into a higher gear, with heavier drums and Naruto's crazy bass lines.

_So what if when you cry you crush my heart?_

_So what if I'm convinced you're a work of art?_

_So what if I daydream in the grocery store?_

_So what if I forgot that two plus two is four?_

Sasuke stalked across the stage as he prepared for the chorus, keeping eye contact with the live coverage cameras… with Hinata. His raised voice rang out over the now typical heavy Team 7 sound.

_It's all on you in any case_

_You're too beautiful for me_

_It's all on you, baby, anyway_

_I get so distracted around you_

_But so what?_

Sasuke ran the song directly into the second chorus.

_So what if you're all I'm capable of thinking about?_

_So what if I can't hear people even when they shout?_

_So what if I frequently stop at the lingerie shop?_

_So what if you fill my heart from bottom to top?_

_It's all on you, in any case_

_You're too beautiful for me_

_It's all on you, baby, anyway_

_I can't think at all around you_

_(But so what?)_

The Team 7 members harmonized the last line of the chorus as Sasuke prepared for the bridge. He ran a hand through his hair, a smile of happiness, frustration and helplessness on his face; it was an expression of romantic torture.

_It's your fault that I love you 'til I'm a useless lump of flesh_

_It's on you that after a hard day's work I still feel fresh_

_It's your fault that you're in full control of my happiness_

_And I don't care_

The song rose to a climax in the bridge, and Sasuke's eyes had slid down until they were just about closed as he got caught up in the song… caught up in the memory of Hinata. He could feel her presence even though she wasn't actually there.

_So what…?_

The last two words of the song were whispered into the microphone, and the crowd stayed still an entire ten seconds before they erupted. Naruto laughed and flung his arm over Sasuke's shoulder. He snatched the microphone from Sasuke's hands.

"Hey everyone," the blonde yelled into the microphone in his perpetual loud way. The crowd cheered its response, and Naruto scratched the back of his head, a huge grin on his face. What the hell was he up to? "So I heard Sasuke singing in the shower this morning…" the blonde started, pausing when the crowd erupted in applause and a teasing aura seemed to emanate from them. _'Oh no, he didn't!' _Sasuke thought, his face reddening slightly as he tried to calmly retake control of the microphone.

"Give it back, Uzumaki," Sasuke demanded, reaching for the microphone. The crowd ate up their slightly contained (only on Sasuke's part) scuffle with hungry eyes. It wasn't often, if ever, that Team 7 broke out of character on stage.

"No such luck, teme," Naruto said through a bright grin. "So," he continued, talking to the crowd and simultaneously evading Sasuke's grabs for the microphone, which, thankfully, managed to look graceful enough. "_AS_ I was saying… Sasuke… was singing in the bath. Now, Sasuke never really sings in the bath since it's not dignified enough for one such as him…" The crowd laughed at that. "So, in honor of the _rare _occasion, the rest of Team 7 decided we had to let you hear the song he was singing… and he will be too proud to not sing it for you, so, here we go," Naruto finished, giving Sasuke the microphone now that he was done. Sasuke's mind was reeling. _Had_ he been singing in the bath? He had been feeling kind of good that morning as he'd managed to speak with Hinata the night before, but had he actually _sang… in the bath?_ _If_ he had, that was private! Sasuke was about to open his mouth to stubbornly refuse to sing, but the others played the opening notes for _Angel_ and Sasuke's resolve went six feet under. His cheeks stayed red for the duration of the song. '_Oh, those guys are going to get it after the show,'_ Sasuke decided seeing the gooey expressions on the faces of the women in the crowd.

* * *

Hinata was feeling restless. She was laying flat on her back but her thoughts were running around in her headspace, making her feel exhausted. Sai or Sasuke? The question had been staring her in the face for every waking moment of the five days both men had been gone. Her best friend or her flame? Hinata groaned. They had come back last night, but she hadn't fully decided yet and had been avoiding them both.

_'My mind keeps veering to _him_ but the decision shouldn't be this easy! Argh!' _Hinata thought in torment. She allowed her mind to skim over everything since the moment she had met Sai, to the present. Her decision was bouncing around in her head, but she disregarded it. _'It should be a harder decision than this!' _ Hinata turned over and screamed into the mattress, her body going limp. She allowed herself to think of what would happen if she went with her current decision and a giddy smile crept onto her face; the possibilities were endless. Then, her mind ran on the other person… the man that would be getting turned down, and her face fell… did she dare turn him down? She thought of what the situation would be like if she chose that person instead… no, she couldn't do that. He, for all his faults and issues, was a nice person, but it wouldn't work, not for someone like her.

Feeling more confident of her choice, Hinata picked up her car keys and half ran half walked to her car. She started it up, aware that her heart was beating so fast she felt almost dizzy with nervousness, apprehension, anxiety, and anticipation rolled into one. The feeling intensified the closer she got to her destination, but was underlined by a line of certainty.

_'The hard part was not making the decision at all, but thinking about what to say to the one I didn't choose… I am dreading that part, but I guess it's something I have to do…' _Hinata thought. Her mind ran on the effort the person had gone through to secure her attention and dreaded telling him that he wasn't what she wanted or needed at the moment. A shiver of trepidation slid through her body. She didn't even notice the scenery along the drive; she was so deep in thought. What was the correct wording? She didn't doubt her decision, but actually informing the men what side of the line they were each on was something that would take a lot from her, considering her track record of botching things up and lack of confidence in her choices.

This time was different though, because it was really her choice to choose what would make her happy… and she had chosen. She knew who she wanted. Hopping out of the car when she pulled up at her destination, Hinata ran a shaking hand through her hair before stalking up to the front door. It opened before she could knock.

* * *

**CLIFFIE! LOL! Whatever happens next, I wonder… (fu fu fu fu, just teasing, as I already know…). I would have continued, but I just wondered what you guys are thinking at this point, and it would ruin it if I continued…. So please review, and please let me know what you think of the chapter as a whole! I am sorry if the last part of this chapter feels a mite rushed, but I am literally falling asleep at the computer! Hahaha! I tried to incorporate as much of the instruction as was in the reviews in the chapter, and I want to know what you guys think of my efforts… You have to understand that I am the type to get totally caught up in the story I am writing, and this one seems to have a life of its own, so sorry if some of the things you suggested didn't come to be. Also, I included some more songs for you guys… I know I had fallen off the ladder on that side of the story, and I apologize. If you guys liked them and want more in the chapters that follow, please include that in the reviews… I would REALLY appreciate it! I am really looking forward to what you guys have to say! **


	14. Chapter 14

**I know, two chapters coming out at similar times…I was supposed to post chapter 13 earlier than I did, but I couldn't get it up in time, and then there was no internet… so all I could do was type… urk. I really really hope that you reviewed the last chapter anyway, because I would really love to know what you thought of the last chapter before you actually got to this one! (0_0) ß (begging face)… So if you are one of my lovely and faithful reviewers… pleeezeee can you tell me what you thought before you read this chapter (if you haven't already, that is)? *waves a cookie as incentive* **

**I tried to incorporate your wishes into last chapter, and I really hope I did a good job… *pout* not knowing is killing me a little, but that's the penalty I had to pay for typing so fast and uploading at such close times… fweh… *takes a short moment to mope* Thanks in advance for the reviews! (^_^) – shi shi shi shi!**

* * *

Sai stood in the doorway, his eyes on Hinata and a slightly guarded, but yet hopeful expression on his face. She gave him a tentative smile and wrung her hands together for courage. It was time.

"Sai," she whispered, looking up into his face. He stepped forward and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. His embrace made it hard for her to breathe, but Hinata knew she had made the right decision.

"I knew you'd come… I just felt it inside," Sai muttered against her hair. Hinata's eyes slid shut.

"Sai… I'm sorry," she said, her voice thick with tears. "I love you, I do, but not in the way that you want. I just don't think that we _fit_." Sai's body stiffened and he pulled away from her. The hurt in his eyes made Hinata feel like the worst friend in the world, but it didn't change her decision. At this point, not much could. Her mind drifted to one of the things that had made the decision that much easier to arrive at.

* * *

_Hinata's hand paused mid-stir at the beeping sound she could hear coming from the direction of the small storage closet. What could possibly be in there? She hadn't used the little closet in so long. Pulling the pot of pasta off the stove, Hinata wiped her sweaty palms on her apron to dry them and moved to discover the source of the noise. When she opened the closet door, the beeping sound blared out at her, slightly muffled since it was coming from seemingly the back of the enclosed space which was filled with neatly arranged items that Hinata had placed there a couple months before._

_Reaching into the closet, Hinata shifted a few things and then peered inside to have a look. _

_"This noise sounds like my phone alarm," Hinata mused aloud, shifting a piece of cloth from the back of one of the shelves. The words had barely left her lips when she gasped in shock and a bit of disappointment. Her phone was lying under the cloth, beeping madly as it did after being turned off for two weeks. Sai had set it to turn on and alarm if left off for more than two weeks when he had been showing her the features of the phone she had bought. Obviously he had not changed the feature settings, and obviously, the device worked. She had not opened the storage closet in at least a month, and Sai had been the only one here in the last two weeks, so it stood to reason that he was the one that had put her phone there… Now that she thought of it, her phone had gone missing that night that she was supposed to meet Sasuke at the restaurant. _

* * *

Sai was currently looking at her as if she'd grown not one, but two other heads. It was clear that for some unknown reason, he had expected to be her choice.

"Sai, you stole my phone… you manipulated me, knowing what kind of person I am. Did you really think I would be forced into going out with you?" Her voice should have been strong at this point, but it was softened under the weight of her immense disappointment.

"But Hinata… I only did it because I love you so very much," Sai rasped, his eyes shining wetly and his hands reaching out to her. She evaded his grasp. Best friend or not, he needed to allow her to speak, and frankly, she was tired of the old way of doing things; tired of giving in even when she wasn't exactly sure she was doing what was best for her.

"No, Sai. Answer this first. You told me you loved me ever since we were children. Why is it only now that you are letting me know this? What made you try this time?" Hinata asked, her eyes beseeching him to just be honest. Sai was about to say something when she had interrupted him with her questions, and his mouth slammed shut as soon as she had started to talk. Then, he couldn't meet her eyes.

"I couldn't wait any longer. I had waited before because I wanted you to come to me without my having to-"

"So now you're blaming it on me?" Hinata could feel anger swelling in her stomach.

"No… yes… I mean, no, of course not," Sai said, stepping forward, his tone patronizing. "I just dreamt of a day when you would come to me without my having confessed to you. I know it's stupid, but…" Hinata's eyes narrowed at his words. Something wasn't right. She had no doubts that Sai had feelings for her; that much was clear, but there was something else that contributed to the entire situation that he wasn't being forthcoming about.

"Sai," she said, warning evident in her tone.

"I'm sorry!" he said, true regret in his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know what else to do! I didn't want you to go to him, okay? It's all my fault, but I couldn't stand to have you leave me… I wouldn't be able to bear it!" He stepped forward, grasping her hands and peering into her light grey eyes with his darker ones. "Please, Hinata. Give me another chance… I'm begging you!" Hinata's heart was being tugged by his ardent apologies, and the sincerity in his face and eyes, but then realized with a start that he had not really answered her question.

"Sai… you have not answered the question," she said woodenly. The remorse drifted from his face and was replaced with a dark smile that twisted his lips and he leveled a bitter stare at her.

"You know what? Why don't you just ask _Sasuke?_ After all, he contributed so much to…" His words were cut off by the sharp report as Hinata's hand connected with the side of his face.

"_Don't _bring Sasuke into this. This is in no way his fault," she hissed, while inside she was wondering who the hell this woman was that she had become. This anger and frustration that she was feeling after years of sliding by with the tides was almost too much. What had made her feel this way? What was the trigger that had released all this? She had kept it locked up for a reason… she didn't want to feel all these negative emotions! Sai's bitter smile evolved into a grin of the same natre, and he took two steps back.

"If you say so," Sai said, his face dark, and his tone implying that her opinion was wrong even though he was vaguely agreeing. The hidden message in his words slammed against Hinata. '_You don't know anything,' _it was saying. "If you don't mind my saying," Sai said through a visibly fake smile of good cheer, "I liked you much better when you weren't so… _caustic_," he finished, a look of slight disdain eking out from behind the fake smile. Hinata had never felt as safe in a decision as she had at the moment… nor had she felt quite so hurt either.

"It looks like the decision I made was in fact the right one then," Hinata mused aloud, watching angrily as the façade crumbled from Sai's face, leaving behind the kind of tortured pain that would take years to heal. Regardless of how bad Hinata felt for having to turn down her best friend, she had grown up since meeting a certain Uchiha, and with her new eyes, she saw a part of Sai she did not want in a partner. "I'll see you later, Sai," she mumbled then, turning and heading back to the car.

It was not until Hinata had left the community Sai lived in that she allowed herself to cry. Hinata watched as the road ahead became a blur of shifting grey and through the sheen of tears on her eyes and had to pull to the side and park. Anger, pain, frustration, bitterness and hatred that had been bottled up and veneered in a secret part of for years her converted to crushing melancholy. As the veneer was stripped away to reveal the ugliness of the emotions within her, they bubbled up over her lower lids, sliding down her face in a hot, salty trail. She leaned her head forward until it rested on her steering wheel as her entire body went limp under the energy that crying so intensely was taking. The sobs wracked her slight frame, and tore ungracefully through her throat and parted lips, and her eyes squeezed tight, locking her in darkness. Her heart ached like it never had before, and the pain was quickly spreading up her throat and into her head. Hinata gripped her steering wheel until her knuckles whitened and the rubber cover squeaked under her tight grasp. She wasn't even thinking… there wasn't much thought in her head at all, but she _was _feeling. There was so_ much pain_! Her mind conjured up images of the men in her past, the hurt and insecurity she had suffered since childhood; pain her parents had never seen or had been able to understand. She had been ostracized, forgotten, stood up, rejected, traded over and manipulated for as long as she could remember, now that she allowed herself to view things as they actually were.

And Sai… it pained her that she had to refuse him; her best friend. He'd been there through the years, picking up the pieces every time her attempts at relationships shattered like broken glass at her feet; he'd dry her tears or soothe her over the phone, but it seemed it was all part of the manipulation. Obviously he had been under the misguided impression that his actions would serve some purpose other than disappoint her and the look on his face when he had apologized and the look on his face as she had left him standing there in front of his house were killing her… his expressions were floating around the foreground of her mind. The sorrow, and pain, and dejection had been apparent in not only his face, but his stance as well, and Hinata knew she was the one that caused it. She had to do it though. She could not have accepted Sai just because he was her best friend. Their time had passed. If Sai had approached her before, then things might have been different, but he had waited too long, and had chosen the wrong moment and the wrong way to act.

_'Oh how stupid we are,' _Hinata thought brokenly, swiping madly at her eyes. _'Denying ourselves of the things we want because of our pride, then hiding our true intentions behind hurtful words we don't mean. No wonder we are so messed up.'_ The tears didn't stop coming, but they were cathartic; as if a cyst had been broken and the foul, infected liquids inside it released. She felt like a different person and realized then how much holding on to the pain of the past had crippled her present and future. Letting go of Sai, in a sense, was like letting go of the past, of the things that held her back. Of course he would have liked her better as she used to be; she had been so easy to control then, so easy to manipulate, but Hinata was determined to make that change. She didn't expect to be perfect, but she expected it of herself now to look at things differently to how she used to. She took a deep but tremulous breath, and gave one last swipe at her eyes. Reaching into her purse for a tissue, she cleaned her face up, thinking happier thoughts, like what Sasuke would think or look like when she told him what she had decided.

* * *

Sasuke was in the shower when he heard the car horn toot from the outside. He knew that horn! Hinata? He looked down at himself in utter panic. He had been trying to get in touch with her since the last day in Amegakure, but she had been avoiding him, and now that she had come, he was covered in _SOAP? _There was no way he was going to pass up an opportunity to see her, regardless of his longing for a _long_ drawn out shower. Suddenly, his purpose in life was the get out of the damned shower before she left.

_'Damn, damn, damn, damn!' _Sasuke was chanting in his head as he turned the rain shower on full blast in order to get the soap off faster. Grabbing a towel, he hastily wrapped around his hips, flashing the water out of his hair as he ran to the front door.

"Coming!" he yelled, just in case she thought he wasn't there. His wet feet slipped on the tiles several times, but sheer determination kept him upright. He had to get to the door before she left. What if she had something important to tell him? He was panting by the time he yanked the door open, his chest heaving and his heart racing. The towel was sliding off his slim hips and he grabbed it with his left hand, while leaning his right hand against the doorjamb. "Hey," he breathed through a small smile.

"Hey," she breathed back. It was then that Sasuke noticed her eyes… they were red… she had been crying. Suddenly concerned, he reached out and grasped her hand, pulling her inside the house and shutting the door with his foot. What had happened? Forgetting his desire to know her decision when faced with her unhappiness, Sasuke pulled her to his living room couch.

"Sorry I took so long… I was in the shower," he said by way of explanation as he one-handedly seated her – his other hand was still clutching his towel. He fought the warmth of masculine pride at the way her eyes took in his chest… it was not the time. "You were crying," he pointed out bluntly; awkwardly, cringing at the way it sounded… he'd wanted it to come over more caring than it did. "What happened?" his voice dropped and sounded more like how he had intended it to. Her large grey eyes watered as she looked up at him and Sasuke felt his heart break a little for her. "Aww, Hinata, don't make a face like that," he moaned helplessly. "I want to hug you but this towel is… hang on," he muttered, turning his back to her so she wouldn't see him in all his manly glory while he fixed his towel. Securing it around his hips – he still wanted to look _good_ for her – he tucked the open edge safely into the top and turned back around to face her, his arms open.

She was in his arms before he could even call her there, knocking him backwards a bit because of her momentum. She mumbled something, but the sound disappeared into his shoulder… the top of her head barely brushed his chin.

"What? What happened?" he asked in concern, mentally (but unsuccessfully) stamping down all the very inappropriate thoughts and desires whirling around in his brain.

"I went to talk to Sai… to tell him that I decided…" The rest of her words faded from Sasuke's ears and were replaced with white noise… a low rushing hum of air. She'd chosen Sai? Had he rejected her? Wait, _what was going on? _"… and I don't know, he said that you knew something about it and he got really mean… and…" Sasuke interrupted her flow of words.

"Slow down, Hinata. What did you say after the part about going to Sai?" he asked, his voice tentative.

"I said I decided that I wanted to try… to try a relationship… with you…" she whispered, her voice leaving her completely. Sasuke wasn't sure what she was saying was what he understood.

"You mean _me, _as in Sasuke… or did you mean _you_ as in Sai?" he asked, desperate to be totally sure of what she was trying to tell him. The background faded and his heart started beating so fast his stomach felt slightly upset. A little grin pushed forward on her face at his addle-pated response.

"You as in Sasuke," she said in a more confident tone. She frowned a little as a thought occurred to her. "That is, if you w-" Her words were drowned by Sasuke's mouth on hers. He wasn't sure there had ever been a time where he had been happier than now, and the kiss wasn't passionate as much as… well, _loving._ However, it didn't stay that way, and even though Sasuke had been chilled since he had stepped out of the shower and his skin was still wet, he was now almost uncomfortably hot, and his heart was suddenly racing and he just _wanted her so damn bad._ It was taking all his self control to keep his hands where they were; one hand at the back of her head and the other resting – more like gripping – her hip.

"Yes I do, I really do," he growled against her lips, which were too responsive for his self control. It wouldn't do to rush this, no matter how much he ached and _dreamed_ about taking her. When he did, he wanted it to be special. He was good at what he _did_ when he _did it_, but he wanted it to be an entire experience when they did it their first times together… and Sasuke meant _times_ as in plural… because he knew it would be good, and they wouldn't stop at one… The idea brought a smile to his lips, and also the strength to step back and reign himself in. Still, it wasn't as if the desire left in any way at all, because it didn't, and it was all he could do to stay two steps away from her without attempting to devour her lips, which were red and slightly swollen because he had just-

"So now, tell me what made you cry," he said then, cutting off the thoughts that would create certain reactions their relationship wasn't really ready for yet. He took a deep breath, a bit flustered at how her scent wound its way into his nostrils and threatened to break his resolve, his plans for their first time be damned. However, the memory of how selfish he and the men in her past had been, Sasuke managed to control himself.

"I don't know how to explain… It's just that a whole barrage of emotions I had kept locked up inside myself just burst free as soon as I let go… of the past, you know," she said softly, contemplatively. Sasuke understood in the few words she had used to describe what happened. There was something else though, something else she had said, and the memory of it was bothering him.

"You said something about Sai?" he asked, already dreading her response; he didn't want to think about Sai. Her face fell and a look of confusion and pensiveness covered her face. Sasuke swallowed, his lustful thoughts pushed to the rear of his mind; he didn't like that expression on her face. Still, he wanted to get out every issue, every secret that could potentially hurt their relationship right now so they could start out clean. That didn't mean it would be easy in any way, though, worse because he had no idea what she was coming with.

"I asked him why he chose now to approach me, and he said I should ask you… I told him you didn't have anything to do with it, and I… well, I slapped him. I was just so mad that he would try to implicate you in whatever it was that he was in and-"

"Hinata wait… I did provoke him," Sasuke said, a leaden weight in his chest. "At the karaoke… I told him that he would never win… in those words…" Sasuke cringed inwardly as he awaited her response. Whatever would she think, or say? How would his cocky words affect the relationship? He forced himself to meet her eyes, and didn't expect to see what he saw there...

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**Yes, I know this chapter came out very soon after the one before, but I hope you still reviewed the last chapter! (*_*) ß (hopeful face)! So, what did you think of this one? I tried not to rush the part where she told them too much… make it natural. Before you ask why Sai was being so… well, mean, it's because he was really hurt and really disappointed and for some people, hurt like that makes them lock up and strike out… it's a defense mechanism. What else now… umm.. right, yes… Sai stole and hid Hinata's phone so she couldn't call Sasuke… that's why he ended up feeling stood up. I wanted to tell you guys that for SO DAMN LONG! She's not a bitch, guys… I promise! Also, I will reveal the weeks of 'silence' in the next chapter if you still like the story and want more! (^_^)**


	15. Chapter 15

***Cough* ….Sorry I meant to speak just there… not cough… *clears throat*… Did you notice my slightly veiled excuse for not uploading sooner? Yes… I plead illness and injury. I am now considering guitar lessons a dangerous sport (because I got hurt)… (._.) … I feel so out of it, I don't remember what I was supposed to address in this chapter, and that's what happens when one faints three times in under 10 minutes… who am I to go spouting time? I have no idea how long I was actually out (had a bad fever)….. Anyway, thank you all for the reviews, follows and faves to the last chapters and here I go again. If this chapter feels a bit weaker than the other ones, please don't hate a recovering invalid… (T_T). Take pity on me and don't berate me for the shortness of this chapter… or for the fact that I couldn't be bothered to go into the two weeks of silence between Sasuke and Hinata… that ship has sailed.**

* * *

"The hell was that supposed to mean?" Hinata responded. Not what Sasuke expected at _all_. Sasuke gulped.

"I… ah… I dunno how to put this…" Sasuke faltered, raking his fingers through his wet hair which was still clinging to his neck, shoulders, and chest, because no, he still hadn't cut it. At the time, when he'd said what he'd said to Sai, Sasuke had actually felt really cool about it; he had pulled off the maneuver itself flawlessly… that said, the mere thought that he'd have to tell _Hinata _of all people his reasons for saying what he'd said was enough to make heat crawl up his skin. Truth be told, it had all been down to him finally having the girl of his dreams (_literally) _in his grasp and being too damn possessive to let some other guy try to step in on his 'territory'. At the time, some good ol' intimidation had seemed like the way to go… too bad the move had utterly failed and had had the opposite effect to the intended on Sai. Strangely enough, it was a testament to Sai's character that he hadn't immediately folded like Sasuke had hoped he would, but still.

"You're an artist… of course you can find a way to explain to me, Sasuke," Hinata said. Okay, that was unfair. She sounded just about the same as always, but there was that cotton-candy hint of playfulness and that tempered steel hint of seriousness rolled in with the silky soft whisper of her voice and it was doing _straannnggee _things to Sasuke… Strange as in turning him on and freaking him out at the same time… not a good combination when he was basically naked and defenseless in front of her. At this point, he couldn't even run from her – because his knees were somewhere in the vicinity of useless, his feet were wet, and his floor was tiled. "Come on," Hinata coaxed. "It's just me."

See that was the thing. It _wasn't _'just' her. To the untrained eye, Hinata looked just the way she always looked; a curious mix between timid and smoking hot… but in all things Hinata, Sasuke's eye was very trained, and that mischievous glint in her eyes… well, he caught it… and it worried him.

"I … I can't… I said what I said… and I'm sorry… I just can't say _why _exactly," Sasuke stuttered, taking a step back. She followed, matching him step for step as he retreated. Sasuke gulped again. He could just give in now, but he was seriously curious as to what she was planning to do.

"I'm sure that we can come to an… agreement…" Hinata murmured, her eyelids drooping without her focus on him slipping one bit. Sasuke's eyes were burning at this point. How dare she weaken his resolve by trying to turn him on… trying not being the operative word in this case, because well, it was working. She rested her fingertips in a butterfly's touch on his chest, but she might as well have sunk her nails into his flesh, because that's how much he felt it. The woman was making his limbs useless with just her touch (1). And her eyes… Sasuke was losing the point of this entire exercise…. "You never know the … _benefits_ one might come into contact with after just… explaining one's actions. There might be mind _blowing_ results…" she half said, half growled. Sasuke's eyes lost focus at that point and went to a whole new world… not so new, but very fantasy-filled. Her fingertips trailing down his chest yanked him back to the not so harsh reality.

As it was, he was faced with two options. He could plunge himself into the embarrassment of letting Hinata know his slightly caveman-like reasons for his statement to Sai, or struggle through her sudden seductive mood. Both were excruciating for different reasons for Sasuke… there was only so much he could take, but _there was only so much 'he' could take…_ At the moment, it was getting harder and harder to breathe, and embarrassment would fade, right? This type of mental and _physical _torture Hinata was putting him through had a way of lasting for long durations and 'popping up' at the most inopportune times.

"I… was… I was feeling a bit possessive, I guess. I wanted you to myself…" Sasuke groaned out. Wait, was that choked gravel **_his_**_ formerly smooth tenor?_ Hinata gave a murmur of approval, encouraging him to continue, and traced a circle on his abs, which tightened instinctively. Sasuke immediately reached up to loosen the pressure on his neck, only to realize he was still bare-chested when his hand met only skin. "I didn't want him to have you, or think he could have you… I guess…"

"Hmm… you guess?" she echoed. Sasuke gulped and continued.

"I guess I wanted you…" he faltered again, coherent thought a bit difficult, what with the way she was touching him… seriously, what had gotten into her?

"You wanted me…?" she echoed again, sending little shivers down Sasuke's spine. Damn it all to hell, but he loved when she did that… even though it made it hard to think. As it was, he was struggling to remember what it was that he had wanted.

"I wanted you to be _mine_," he finished, the last word a feral little growl in and of itself. She didn't echo that, but she did pull away and the _look_ she sent him had him this close to hyperventilating… because she was damning all his preconceived notions about the perfect date and what went with it to hell. He wanted her _now…_ and he was on the brink of giving in to his more basal desires too, when the damn telephone rang. Still, it was an escape Sasuke would be damned if he would let pass by. He did _not _need to be irrational and completely lacking control their first time together.

"Hello," he rasped into the receiver upon snatching it from the base.

"Uchiha-san! I'm sorry, did I wake you?" It took Sasuke a couple seconds to place the voice. Tenten. Konoha Travel Agency.

"No… no… You didn't wake me," Sasuke managed to respond. Damn, but post-Hinata speech for him was never easy… especially now that she was in the room with him and her look was yelling that she wasn't done with him yet. Hopefully he could prolong this phone conversation until he got back some modicum of self control.

"Did… I catch you at a bad time?" Tenten asked slowly, as if she knew something was up.

"No, no, that's alright, Tenten-san. How may I help you?" Sasuke breathed into the phone, walking around the little table and placing the thankfully inanimate object in between himself and Hinata… nice little piece of safety wood there…

"Do you remember calling and making an inquiry about the room situation at Byakugan Spas?" Tenten didn't wait for Sasuke to respond, because of course he remembered. "It turns out the Presidential Suite is free for booking for the entire long weekend, starting Friday and running into Monday evening."

"What?" Sasuke almost screamed into the phone. That was awesome! Hunching over the phone when he remembered Hinata's presence, he continued in a hushed voice. "What? You're not joking, right?" Sasuke asked, struggling to quell the rising excitement. He'd placed a tentative booking with Tenten from Konoha Travel Agency for a weekend stay at Byakugan Spas. Byakugan Spas was not only one of the most exclusive and expensive spas in the world, but also most epic spa hotel in Yugakure. He stopped himself from doing a victory fist-pump, _just in case _Hinata refused his offer for a weekend away. After all, his return would be riddled with press conferences, stage shows, tours… and the list went on. This was prime time for the newly established 'couple' to get some alone time. "Listen, Tenten… I have to call you back…"

Hinata was not sure what was going on. She had been having such fun teasing Sasuke… who would have known it would have been so easy? And his reactions were always so… encouraging. This man was doing wonders for her self confidence without even trying. A couple months ago, this type of behavior would have been unheard of for someone such as her, but the Uchiha had persistently hacked away at her lack of self-confidence and had revealed steel inside her that she did not even know she had. But something was up, and it was making her uneasy, and it had to do with that phone call. For someone that was all about no secrets, he was being strangely secretive… talking in hushed tones with a woman… his back to her… Hinata was _not _pleased. In fact, she was miffed. Jealous, even. She wasn't afraid to admit it… she didn't want Sasuke talking in hushed tones with any woman that wasn't her.

"I have to call you back… yeah, she's here," he was saying.

Sasuke turned to see Hinata with arms folded and a decidedly miffed expression on her face. Cute. Was she actually _jealous? _As if he would even look at or think of another woman twice when she was around. Sasuke would have teased her if he didn't want her to accept his offer so damn bad. As if was, he would much rather play it safe and do all his teasing when they were safely on the way to the hotel. She raised an eyebrow, wordlessly prodding him to explain himself.

"That was Tenten… from the Konoha Travel Agency…" he started, allowing the sentence to trail off so she could form an opinion… hopefully one that had something to do with travel.

"First name basis?" Hinata grumbled, not even bothering to hide her displeasure. Sasuke knew he had every right to be annoyed, but it was hard when her jealousy pleased him so damn much!

"I don't know her last name at all," Sasuke explained, struggling to hide his smile. "She called to let me know that Byakugan Spas' Presidential Suite is free for this weekend…" Sasuke allowed the sentence to trail. There was no way she could miss his intent this time.

"I hope you have fun," she replied… pursing her lips. She was so cute when she did that. Jealous Hinata was a sight he wanted to snap a photo of and frame, because he didn't plan on there being many opportunities for seeing it. Not by a long shot. However, it looked like he would have to spell out his intentions…

"Hinata… I was kinda hoping you and me would go… for some alone time… relaxation…" This time, Sasuke's voice didn't trail off intentionally; it trailed off because the changing emotions on her face were so fast that he'd been robbed of speech… and add the fact that her mouth was covering his and her arms were around his neck. Before Sasuke could even register that she was kissing him and respond like a normal boyfriend (he was a bit chuffed that he could now use that word), she was pulling away and squealing, albeit in her usual soft-spoken way.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!"

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**Very short chapter, I know. Feel free to berate the sick person. Yeah. Go ahead and make me feel bad. (T_T)! I really did want to write more, but I was feeling feeble. Yes, they are official. As of now, cliff-hangers may dwindle, apart from the next two or three chapters if you want them… And I will start taking suggestions for scenes you would like to see in the future… again, if you want. I could put this as 'Completed' if you guys so desire as well…**

**(1) Hehe… note my subtle reference to the Gentle Fist… fu fu fu fu..**

**Sorry for taking so very long to update. All excuses aside… I had writer's block… which is another excuse. Sorry… lol! (^_^)! Anyway, please review! I thirst for your comments… *coughs discreetly***


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey again. Thought I should at least attempt to update sooner than I did the last time around. In response to reviews, I think the main Angsty section of this fanfic is just about over, unless I get some crazy idea further down… I am not exactly going off a plot, so anything goes sorta… Thanks for the reviews guys! And no, I am not dying. I actually did a brain scan, and the results came out that my brain is fine… lol… I was strangely disappointed, because I quite like being a little weird…**

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"Uhhhnnn…" There was that sound again. This was not working. Sasuke, at this point, was _beyond_ frustrated. Why, why, _why did she make sounds like that?_ They were in the cool massage rooms getting the kinks worked out of their backs by the exceptionally skilled masseurs at Byakugan Spas, and every time Hinata's masseur hit a certain place, she would release that delightfully sensual groan. The mere memory of their discovery earlier that morning only served to exacerbate the steadily growing problem Hinata's groans were causing.

* * *

_Sasuke stood staring at the bedroom of the Presidential Suite of Byakugan Spas' hotel, a growing anxious nervousness building up in his gut. His problem? There. Was. Only. One. Bed. One. Not two. One. Apart from that, the room, colored cream and black was fantastic. Hinata bumped into him from behind as she pulled her suitcases into the room with her head turned in the opposite direction to the one in which she was going. Then she stopped and stared too, and a red flush clawed its way up Sasuke's cheeks. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out, so he snapped it shut. _

_"There is only one bed," Hinata murmured, her grey gaze sliding over to meet his dark one. There was that look again in her eyes. The look that told him she would be giving him a hard time about this. Damn. But he was kinda looking forward to it. She was his 'girlfriend' now… so these things were to be expected, right? Sasuke didn't really know what to expect from being in a relationship, as he wasn't exactly versed in these areas, but he intended to find out. _

_"Uh… Yeah…" Sasuke murmured dumbly. What else could he really say?_

_"Is this a hint of some sort?" Hinata queried, one thin eyebrow raised. Sasuke's face heated._

_"No! It was never my intention to pressure you into anything… this just… happened. I promise!" he burst out in response. Inside, he was begging himself not to royally screw this up._

_"Hmm… I don't know whether to be relieved… or insulted…" Hinata murmured softly, but loudly enough for Sasuke to hear. His eyes widened. What the hell was he supposed to say in response? This new Hinata baffled him. He blinked dumbly for what felt like five minutes – it was probably only five seconds – then Hinata smiled. "Relax… I am not insulted," she said, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder… then she _giggled. _She was playing with him and he didn't even notice. He frowned, wondering how he should take this all, but he didn't have the time, because she took hold of his arm and began dragging him through the rooms in the suite. "Come on, Sasu-kun. Let's check this place out." She called him Sasu-kun. Sasuke couldn't stop the pleased grin that pushed to his lips at that._

_"Hey, slow down a bit," he chuckled, resisting her hold and pulling her to a halt. She spun to face him and he simply pulled her into his arms and dipped down for a kiss. When she pulled her head back in favor of staring at him, brows furrowed, he explained. "I want a kiss," he demanded, smirking. For a second, she paused as if contemplating whether or not she was going to actually give in, then she pushed herself closer to him before he could worry, and slid her arms over his shoulders._

_"Kiss me then," she murmured, angling her head, her lips parted. Sasuke didn't have to be told twice. He dipped his head downwards, giving her ample time to pull away, and sighed when their lips met. He wouldn't allow this kiss to get out of hand. There was, after all, only one bed in this room, and even though it was quite large, it was still only one. Letting the kiss go too far too fast would possibly cause an issue later on. _

_Her lips were soft and moist, and they tasted of the strawberry gloss she had put on earlier. He liked it. Sasuke wrapped his arms tighter around her, enjoying the feel of her soft warmth so close to him. He dipped his tongue into her mouth, partially because he just couldn't help himself, and partially because she definitely initiated it by running the tip of her tongue against the seam of his lips. Sasuke allowed the kiss to deepen to the point where his control was threatened, then he pulled back slowly. She snuggled closer to him, her gaze locked to his mouth._

_"One more," she murmured throatily. Sasuke would have refused… if he could. As it was, he really wanted to kiss her again._

_"One more," he replied before leaning forward again._

_When they pulled apart a couple minutes later, they were both disconcerted and flustered, Hinata red faced and Sasuke breathing heavily. They eyed each other hungrily before Sasuke decided that now was as good a time as any to check out the suite. _

_The suite consisted of four rooms; the bedroom, the bathroom, the sitting room, and a small kitchen with a bar. While the bedroom and sitting room were carpeted, the bathroom was tiled and the kitchen floor was paneled with beautiful honey colored floorboards. The bedroom was cream and caramel toned, the floor covered in a plush cream carpet that was so soft that footsteps were a thing of the past unless one made a point to make some sort of noise by stomping their feet. The walls were a lighter cream than the carpet, and the ceiling was plain but classy, and was the same color, apart from an inlaid caramel colored trim. Small sunken lights rimmed the junction between the wall and the ceiling, and a crystal chandelier hung from the centre of the roof. The room itself was oval shaped with a small alcove in one of the longer sides. The bed was inlaid in this alcove, and there were small sunken lights against the roof of it. The opposing wall was almost completely made of glass, which was slightly tinted, and gave an impressive view of Yugakure. _

_"Wow, look at the view," Hinata breathed in utter amazement, pressing herself against the glass. Sasuke walked over to where she was kneeling on the soft bench-like ledge next to the window and rested his chin on the top of her head. The view was really beautiful, Yugakure's coastal cities and beachfront stretching out before them. At night, when all the lights came on, it would be a spectacular sight._

* * *

Sasuke wanted to know what was going on with Hinata. It wasn't as if he didn't like the new fire within her, he just _worried._ Did the breakup with Sai affect her more than she was letting on? At times, her behavior seemed a bit forced; like she was pushing herself to behave a certain way, and it worried him. Of course, he only had the couple of days prior to now to go on, and he _had _noticed a bit of a change ever since he'd nabbed her from the parking lot and taken her to the field… but still. It bothered him that she was now so fiery he didn't really know where he stood with her, and he felt himself veering towards overly cautious; like he was constantly walking on eggshells. On the other hand, sometimes, even though it had always been fairly easy to talk to Hinata, it was even easier.

_'Maybe I should give her some more time, and just watch her for now. It feels like she just needs to be able to strike a balance of some sort,'_ Sasuke thought to himself, angling his head so he could see her on the table before him. He turned just in time to see the masseur grin as he pressed him thumb into the centre of Hinata's back, eliciting a deep, throaty moan from the blue-haired woman. Sasuke not only saw _the exact spot that turned her on, _but he also saw that the masseur was enjoying his job way too much for Sasuke's comfort… and it didn't help that Sasuke had never gotten the opportunity to touch Hinata how he really wanted to either… Frankly, this massage trip was pissing him off.

"How much longer will this take? I'm not saying I don't like it, but I would love to catch the sauna before it gets too full," Sasuke said, directing his words at his masseur.

"Actually, only a few more minutes, Uchiha-san," the masseur replied from above Sasuke, and Sasuke watched with satisfaction as Hinata's masseur evidently remembered his presence. When said man shot a glance at Sasuke, he was met with the young man's piercing, and very serious, gaze. The man gulped uncomfortably as Hinata groaned in protest at the thought that her massage was going to be over soon… and Sasuke's already pissed off gaze sharpened on him.

"Actually, Hyuuga-san, your massage is already over," the masseur said, his slightly frightened blue gaze still locked with Sasuke's dark one. Sasuke gave a small smile of approval and dropped his gaze to Hinata's form.

"Sasu-kun… can I go again?" she pleaded.

_'Don't give in,' _Sasuke commanded himself. He needed to re-assert himself in this relationship before she went haywire on him.

"Come on, the massage is really good, but I want to try out the sauna too… We might as well take advantage of this trip because I don't know how much alone time we will get once I have to go back to work," Sasuke said, allowing a smile to leech into his voice; it wouldn't do to have her suspect how annoyed he was feeling at the moment. She huffed.

"Fine," she moaned. There were slight shuffles as she stood up, and Sasuke, unable to help himself, turned his head. He was rewarded with an unblocked view of her naked back… and his heartbeat sped up. It didn't help that he was getting flashbacks of the exact spot on her back that the masseur had targeted to make her moan… and then he thought of that dratted bed back in the suite… the bed they could possibly share if he played his cards right….Ugh… This weekend had the potential to be the opposite of relaxing for Sasuke… He didn't know how horribly correct that thought would be…

"I still don't understand why we couldn't get another massage… I mean, we will be here all weekend, right?" Hinata said, clinging to Sasuke's arm while sending a longing glance at the massage parlor as they walked down the passage way leading from the massage parlors to the lobby. Sasuke stopped walking and took a deep breath, causing her to look at him.

"The masseur you had… was enjoying his job a bit too much for my comfort, alright? If, and I repeat, _if_ we go back there, I am specifically asking for you to get a massage from a _female_ because I just don't like the idea of any man touching you, and you liking it enough to make you moan the way you did." As Sasuke finished the sentence, he started walking again, so abruptly that his arm was pulled from her grasp. His footsteps were sounding against the polished marble floors as he moved away from her, but Hinata stood for a moment, allowing her mind to wrap itself around his meaning. When she did catch it, she couldn't hold back a smile. Running to catch up with him, she wound her arm through his again, enjoying the warmth that simply oozed from him.

"Were you _jealous_?" she questioned. He stopped walking again, a slightly pissed off expression on his face.

"Yes, I was. That guy was _touching you, _Hinata, and the sounds you were making…" He stopped speaking suddenly. Hinata realized then that regardless of how much she was trying to find herself, _she_ had been the one to initiate the relationship this time, and she was doing a poor job of it. They started walking again, Hinata a couple steps behind Sasuke. She should just tell him the truth of the matter, regardless of how mortified she was at the thought of actually giving the reason for her behavior.

"I'm sorry. I didn't really think about it… It's just… he was really good… and… well… I was kinda pretending he was you-mph," she admitted, the end of her sentence muffled when Sasuke stopped sharply in front her and she walked right into his back. When Sasuke turned to look at her, Hinata could feel the heat rising up to cover her entire face. The burn only intensified when one dark brow inched upwards. In a matter of seconds, she found herself slammed up chest-first against the hall wall, Sasuke's warm body pressing against her from behind, one of his hands on her back, the other hand gripping her shoulder.

"It just so happens that I say _exactly_ where he was touching you," Sasuke murmured in her ear, his breath whispering across her earlobe and neck, the same moment that he pressed his middle and third fingertips into the centre of her back. She arched her back into his touch and moaned helplessly… this changed things. Suddenly, the weekend looked even better than it did before!

* * *

Sasuke stepped out of the bathroom several hours later, actually feeling exhausted, but the good kind; the kind of exhausted that meant he would have a damned good sleep. His towel draped over his head and cotton pajama bottoms hung low on his hips, Sasuke was just about ready to collapse in bed… or he was… until he saw what was in it. Hinata.

Okay, for all his mistakes in the past, and his imperfections, this situation simply was not fair. Hinata was lying in the bed, her hair piled up in damp curls on top of her head, texting on her phone. If the sight of her long neck wasn't temptation enough, her attire only served to make the situation worse. She was wearing a T-shirt… an overly large one with a collar that was halfway down one shoulder, creating the impression of being comfortably sexy. If that wasn't enough, the T-shirt stopped a couple inches down her thigh; Sasuke was positive that if she stood up, it wouldn't be long enough to cover her ass, which he had reason to believe was curved perfectly – and was torn, or rather, slashed, horizontally in several places across the stomach, revealing tantalizing flashes of skin. The final blow was her legs. Sasuke had never seen them revealed so perfectly before. They stretched for what seemed like ages, shaped _just_ the way he preferred, and unflawed.

_'Damn,' _Sasuke thought. _'I do __**not**__want to be on the couch tonight. Damn this all to hell and back.' _She looked up from her phone and gave him a small smile.

"Had a good shower?" she asked, smiling. Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat, and then begin to beat erratically in his chest. He was suddenly nervous. He hid his reaction by turning his back to her briefly under the guise of folding the towel and resting it on the bench by the window.

"It was … perfect…" Sasuke moaned, as memories of the shower levitated in his mind. "Those steam jets…were awesome." Hinata nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"I know! I had to _drag _myself from under those jets!" She glanced down when her phone vibrated, and began to giggle, rapidly typing a response. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, fighting the irrational desire to turn her phone off. "Itachi says to tell you hello," she said, still giggling and typing on her phone. Wait, she was texting _Itachi?_ And he was making her _laugh?_ Sasuke didn't really know why, but that unnerved him. Still, it was _him_ she was here with tonight, so he tried to take comfort in that and not go psychotic. As if in reward for his self-restraint, Hinata put her phone down and stretched, small popping noises sounding in her back. Sasuke felt a silly grin tug at the corners of his lips as her T-shirt inched up her thighs the higher she stretched. She looked damn good.

"Well, I am going to try and… sleep, I guess," Hinata murmured softly, sending him a sideways glance, her gaze travelling over his bare torso, then gave a soft smile. Sasuke's mood fell. He was tired, but he wanted to prolong the time before they went to sleep because sleep meant he would have to probably sleep on the couch, or the window-bench – which was very comfortable, actually – and be separated from Hinata… and he had the insane urge to just hold her or do something equally mushy and otherwise unheard of for a man such as him.

"… Do you have to? We could stay up longer… watch a movie, or take in the scenery outside… or…" Sasuke began, his voice fading in disappointment when she hid a small yawn behind her fist. "Fine… I can see you're exhausted," he said then, a soft smile on his face and his eyes apologetic. He hid his disappointment as well as he'd hoped, because she didn't really seem to notice… or maybe that was because she was so tired. "I'll take the window-bench then, right?" Sasuke swiped a pillow from the bed and stalked quickly to the window-bench, turning the dial on the wall to dim the lights until the room was swept in darkness. He had moved quickly, anxious to drench the room in darkness to hide the look he knew would come to his face since it was so strong he knew he would not be able to conceal it. Usually, he would be in the privacy of his own room by now, and could drop the mask he usually kept fixed firmly to his face. He needed the darkness now, because no matter how much he wanted Hinata, he didn't want to pressure her into anything, and he knew she would probably feel obligated to do _something_ if she had any idea how he was feeling right now. He was just settling onto the window-bench when her voice rang out in the room, small and hesitant.

"Sasu-kun?"

"Hmm?" he rumbled in response.

"I'm cold," she mumbled back with a hint of insistence in her tone. Sasuke was glad that the darkness hid his smile as he shifted on the window-bench.

"Hmm." He paused before continuing. "Do you want me to come over?" he made sure to ask, not wanting to overstep his boundaries. Silence met his question for a few moments, then her voice called out again.

"Could you?" Sasuke got up and crossed the short distance over to the bed.

Hinata felt the bed sink a little under Sasuke's weight. She was suddenly thankful for his presence, because the bed was too large; too wide for her alone. She felt the bed shift as he got under the covers and inched closer to her. He stopped before their bodies came in contact, but she could feel the warmth radiating from his bare torso. She was suddenly not very tired at all. She lay flat on her back, suddenly self-conscious, and stared into the darkness. Sasuke shifted a little next to her, apparently rearranging the position of his pillow.

Sasuke couldn't sleep. His heart was racing, and he had to actually concentrate on breathing evenly. Hinata's soft whisper sounded in the room.

"Sasuke?" He smiled.

"Hmm?" A pause.

"I can't sleep." Sasuke's smile widened and he shifted a little closer to her.

"Me neither," he replied. The bed moved as she shifted, and Sasuke felt her leg brush his. "What do you want to do, then?" he asked softly, his voice in that quiet place between a whisper and a spoken word.

"I … I don't know," Hinata responded shyly after a moment. For a couple seconds, the only sounds were the occasional rustle as one of the shifted, and the sound of their breathing. Sasuke broke the silence.

"Can I ask something?" he started tenderly. Hinata hummed to the affirmative, encouraging him to continue. "When was it really… that you _saw_ me? I mean, I know you were all about Naruto before, and I just wondered…" His question was met with silence, then her mortified little squeal. "I know it was sometime around the time I played 'Way out Here'… and around the time we went on that date, right?"

"A-ano… It was actually around that time that I had to do your make-up… I mean… it was…" her voice trailed to a stop. Sasuke's eyebrows shot upwards.

"That early? I felt like I was trying for ages after that to get your attention," Sasuke mused aloud.

"I didn't even really notice that I noticed, as such… if that makes sense," Hinata responded after a while, her voice hesitant and soft-toned. "I think I was subconsciously attracted to you when I had to rub that oil… on you-ohh this is so embarrassing!" Sasuke chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the turn the conversation was taking.

"Oh no, don't stop," he urged, his voice gentle, curious and mirth-filled at the same time. "Tell me, Hina-hime." She groaned, muffling her voice in her pillows.

"Ohhh…" she groaned again. "I felt like I never wanted to stop touching you… and then after I still got captivated by the bass line… but I kept wanting to look at you… and I guess I forced myself to keep looking at Naruto, because, well… I wanted to be a good fan… but then I ended up thinking about you at the weirdest times… but the time I really forgot about Naruto, I guess would have been that night that you called me… and then the date after was great." Sasuke was grinning like a fool at this point.

"When did you think about me?" he couldn't resist asking.

"Oh, I… I don't wanna say!" she wailed. Sasuke leaned over and stroked her arm. His breath caught in his throat, and his heart gave a little thump in his chest.

"C'mon, Hina-hime… Give me something to hold onto here…" he pleaded, his throat feeling a bit tight. His hand drifted from her arm to rest on her hip.

"I guess… um… while doing laundry… when I slept… and in the shower sometimes…" she admitted quietly. Sasuke felt his face heat.

"You dreamt about me… and thought of me in the _shower?_" he asked, not quite believing what he was hearing. She gave a little squeak. A thought occurred to him suddenly. "Did… did you think about me in the shower _tonight_?" he asked. Guilty silence met his ears. "You did, didn't you?" he guessed, quite accurately, if Hinata's mortified little groan was anything to go by. There was only so much restraint a man could be expected to have, and after Hinata raised her arms to cover her face – which caused the T-shirt to ride up even more and Sasuke's hand to end up on her bare hip, he snapped.

Before even realizing what he was doing, Sasuke had yanked Hinata close to him and his lips were frantically seeking hers, pressing desperately against her chin and cheek. His mouth found hers split seconds later, and he got lost in the feel of her soft lips pressing against his. Her lips parted on a gasped, moist breath, and Sasuke pressed his parted lips to hers, their hot exhalations mixing in the air between them. He ducked his head closer to deepen the kiss and gasped a little when her warm hand slid over the rapidly overheating skin of his chest. He rose up on one elbow, breaking their kiss for a moment so he could put his other elbow on the other side of her, his knees on either side of her. Her hands were suddenly everywhere; in his hair, on his shoulders, his chest, abs and back.

Her name rasped from his lips when she broke the kiss to press her lips to the side of his neck. He needed to have her, and he wanted it to be _now._

* * *

Hinata opened her eyes and her gaze was met with … skin; the skin of Sasuke's chest to be precise. She blinked, feeling her face flush as the memory of the night before came flooding into the forefront of her mind. Sasuke's legs were tangled with hers, and his arms were wrapped snugly around her. He murmured something unintelligible in his sleep and tugged her closer against him. Hinata's face was positively burning up, but she was so _pleased._ Sasuke had been so gentle at first, then after the first time had gotten increasingly more passionate. That's when the beast inside her had made itself known, and she'd done and said things she never imagined she would ever initiate. Then after they had been completely sated, he'd insisted on cuddling her close to him and whispering soft compliments and teases, showering her with kisses until they had both fallen asleep. Hinata had never felt more… well, _adored. _Sasuke shifted then, bringing her thoughts back to the present.

"Mnnnmmm," he rumbled sleepily. Hinata supposed he meant to say 'Morning', but he was too freshly awoken to form coherent words. The thought amused her.

"Morning," she replied with a smile. He was silent for a moment.

"Did I dream last night, or did it actually happen?" he asked, his voice raspy. He pulled back slightly so he could see her face. His eyes dropped from her face to her very bare torso and he smiled. "Definitely not a dream…"

* * *

If Sasuke had ever thought there would ever be a time he would be this happy, he would never have been so sullen for so much of his life. He felt… light and invincible and just… so damn happy! He had never pegged Hinata as one that would be _loud_ in bed, or half as passionate and crazy as she had been… She had pulled the most embarrassing noises from the depths of his being, and she had worn him out good and proper by the time she was done with him.

There was a spring in his step, and he was in such a good mood that when he was nearly bowled over by a pint-sized little boy and his twin sister, his smile did not dim by the smallest of measurements.

"Sasu-kun," Hinata said with a wonder-filled tone, clinging to his arm. "He looks like a miniature version of _you_," she gasped. Sasuke smiled and looked at the small child who'd just run into him to verify her statement. His smile faded when he saw who the children were with. Uchiha Fugaku and his wife Mikoto stood several metres away, hugging and cuddling the children. His parents were here.

"'tou-san, 'tou-san, can we go and see the sea?" the pint sized boy was asking, his childish voice high pitched and pure.

"Sea! Sea!" his sister echoed. Sasuke felt his heart rip painfully when Fugaku lifted the boy in the air and whirled him around, a smile of sheer pride on his face. If Sasuke had ever known there would be a time where he would feel so awful he probably would have taken his own life. One thought resounded in his mind.

_'Otou-san… why did you never look at me like that? I want you to look at me, otou-san, okaa-san…LOOK AT ME!"_

* * *

**Yes, the return of the awful Uchiha parents! Psuedobeast wanted there to be something to pull Hinata and Sasuke together, and I tried to show some signs of this. Please tell me how I did… apart from in the physical sense I mean. I dunno, I tried to show a bit more unspoken trust and just a general closeness. I have never been this close to what might be potentially the end of a story before… I am thinking I might try and get it to 20 chapters, but we will see what happens, ne! (^_^) Please please review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**MERRY CHRISTMAS ! Hello again! Aaaahhh! Hehehe loved the reviews, and I loved the questions, and I do apologise for taking so long! This is the very first story I have written that has exceeded 12,000 hits, so thank you all so very much for reading and rereading! My gift to you all is chapter 17! \(^_^)/ Hope I can answer the questions you had! Also, each line separates a POV, so I hope I don't confuse anyone! It should be clear when it's Sasuke or Hinata...**

* * *

"Come on, Sasuke, open the door," Hinata called, resting her head on the dark wooden bathroom door. He had been in there for over fifteen minutes now. Sasuke had stormed up to the bathroom so fast she had no idea what was even happening, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. There was no answer from inside the bathroom, and that worried her, because there was no way of knowing what was really going on. Was it something she did, or said? Or worse, didn't do or say? As it was, her heart was pounding so fast and so heavily she could feel it in her temples and stomach, and she felt as if she was going to be sick. He had changed to swiftly, smiling one moment, and then the next he'd spun on his heel and stormed away from her and locked himself in the bathroom. What was going on?

"Sasuke... Open the door, please. Tell me what's wrong," she begged again, feeling the fear close up her throat. She raised a fist and knocked gently on the door, her lower lip trembling slightly and tears of confusion stinging her eyes. "Sasuke... open the door." There was no answer. He was ignoring her now. Hinata didn't know why, but it hurt. It really hurt. "Sasuke..." Her voice hitched, so she refrained from attempting to complete her plea, instead allowing her legs to give way. She crumpled to the carpeted bedroom floor, her forehead pressed against the cool wood of the bathroom door. She almost didn't hear his response.

"No." Almost.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, open the door."

"Leave me the fuck alone," she heard him grunt softly. It was her turn to be obstinate. Her lower lip pushing up into a determined pout, and her eyes narrowing, she got to her feet and started rapping on the door.

"No. Not until you tell me what I did." Her voice came out firmly, but there was an anxious flutter in her stomach that warned her something bad was imminent. The door stayed closed, and Sasuke went mute again. Hinata clenched her teeth against the urge to break out in frustrated tears, and it was then that she heard it.

Click.

The door swung open.

And then she was scared. Oh, she was really scared, because Sasuke had the darkest glower she had ever seen on his face, and it was focused on her. Not even when he had had his issues with Sai had he looked so _angry_... but then _livid_ was a better word to use. Sasuke was livid. Hinata's mind was reeling, playing and replaying the memories of waking that morning until half hour ago in her head, trying in vain to find out what it was that she did or said to make him this angry. She could feel the heat of his breath that rushed from his flared nostrils to the skin of her forehead in short controlled puffs. This was not her Sasuke. Sure, he was darkly fascinating and attractive in his anger, with his shoulder length hair wild around his face and flopping over his eyes in long black strands, and his thin lips in a firm, angry line, and his eyes narrowed... But his anger was ugly, and powerful and oppressive. It was like something that had been bottled up for years that was pushing to the surface, not quite a beast released, but one that was making its presence known.

"I said. Leave. Me. The. Fuck. Alone," he growled through gritted teeth, obsidian eyes narrowed with such an expression of hatred that Hinata stepped back, her eyes wide and fearful.

"No. What... what did I do? Sasuke, what did I do?" The words tumbled haphazardly from her lips as her body trembled uncontrollably. She's never felt fear like this before. He took a step closer, and spat out a harsh laugh.

"You're so selfish. So damn selfish. _What did you do_?" he mocked. "You fucking bitch! I can't take this anymore! All you can think about is what _you _did! You think everything I do _revolves _around you! Who d'you think you are?" he yelled suddenly, grabbing her shoulder with one hand and squeezing until it hurt. The hands that had gently loved her the night before were replaced with hard, fierce fingers that dug into her soft skin with force enough to bruise.

"Sasuke, you're hurting me," Hinata wailed in pain. He pushed her savagely away from him so hard she tripped and fell to her rear. As he stood over her, Hinata actually feared for her well-being so much she couldn't move. He stared down at her, disdain marring his features.

"Get out," he said softly, but firmly. It was more of a command. When she didn't move, he glowered down at her, fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his entire body shook.

"No," Hinata whimpered as the truth about the man she loved hit her like a ton of bricks. _This_ was what he meant. _This_ was what he had been talking about back then. The memory filtered into her mind, pushing through the fear.

"_I don't just want you… I want all of you," he said, his dark eyes swallowing her up. "When you can't stand the thought of me even looking at another woman… when all you dream of is me… when you know what I am going to say before I say it… when you can-" his voice choked off under the pressure of what he was going to say next. "When you can see me at my worst and still-" he tried again. He took a deep breath before trying again. "When you can see me at my worst and still… still want to be with me… that's what I want…" he finally said, his eyes begging her to understand._

When she could see him at his worst. She'd thought of seeing him at his worst a _lot_ more lightly than whatever the hell this Sasuke in front of her was... She hadn't been prepared for this. But there was no way in hell she was backing down, even though she really, really wanted to. Her body and mind were screaming for her to get the hell out of dodge, but her heart told her to stay. She scrambled to her feet.

"Get out," he repeated, more urgently, clenching his teeth so that the muscle in his jaw jumped. In the blink of an eye, the bedside lamp was in his hand. He flung it at her. It missed, barely, and crashed into the wall behind her. Her eyes widened with fear, and the need to leave raced through her every vein. She backed away from him.

"No," she said, forcing her tears to stay unshed, particularly because this was no time for tears. They would blur her vision, and he would probably hit her with the next thing he threw.

"Get out," he demanded again, his angry eyes boring into her. She tripped again, over the hassock in front of the bed.

"No," Hinata replied, her voice trembling around the underlying layer of steely resolve as she crawled backwards from him and got to her feet. Sasuke stalked over to her, sheer fury, and something else that was pushing to the surface, emanating from him with such potency that goose-pimples raced up Hinata's hands. Her back hit the wall. The next thing she knew, his hard, unyielding hand was around her neck, lifting her from the floor and threatening to squeeze the very life from her body. Hinata's every instinct told her to escape, begged her to leave, and the fear threatened to blot out her existence, but she stayed. Her feet dangled beneath her, her big toe barely brushing the carpet. His hand was so tight around her neck she couldn't even swallow.

"I SAID GET OUT!" He roared, his eyes flaring and his spittle hitting her chin. He looked wild and feral, and not in a good way. His hand tightened as his eyes narrowed, and his aura alone was screaming for her to run, yelling at her to escape from him. Hinata's heart was racing, and the adrenaline sharpened his terrifying visage, made his yells louder, and filled her with more strength than she knew she had. But it was getting hard to breathe. Hard to see, because his hand was still around her neck, and it was tightening. Her vision dimmed slightly, and she began feeling lightheaded.

"N-no," she managed to whisper. Her large grey eyes meeting his, she forced him to deal with her resolve to stay. This was larger than her. She knew it. _This _was not a result of anything she had done. Her eyes softened. "No," she whispered again, bringing up a hand to rest atop the one clasped around her neck. "I will not leave you. I will _not_ leave." And just like that, his grip loosened and her feet hit the carpet. Her knees trembled and threatened to give way under the weight of her body. She put one hand flat on his chest to steady herself, while coughing and sputtering slightly as she tried to inhale the much needed oxygen. Leaning back against the wall behind her, Hinata watched the anger seep from his eyes.

It was replaced by crushing, heavy melancholy.

He took one step back.

"Why won't you get out?" he whispered, as if confused by her behaviour. His eyes darted over her face, then his gaze fell to the purpling bruise on her neck. "Get out... get out... get out..." he mumbled, while his eyes lost focus and glassed over. She reached for him, sensing that the majority of the danger was over, and looped her arms around his shoulders. His face fell to her shoulder, his hands at his sides, and there was a slightly awkward pause before he was sobbing uncontrollably into the crook of her neck. He tried to say something, but the words were unintelligible over the sobs.

"I won't leave you. I won't leave," Hinata heard herself say. His hands tentatively crept up her back, pausing at the ties to her bikini top before clasping her shoulders tightly in a grip that was desperate rather than furious. It was as if he was hanging on for dear life. Hinata could feel his hot tears on the bare skin of her neck and shoulders. The guttural cries pushing from his throat were like nothing Hinata had ever heard from him before. He tried to say something else, which Hinata was still unable to decipher, and one hand crept from her shoulder and to the hair at the base of her skull. He tangled his fingers in the strands, fisting his hand in her hair. Her heart was still racing, but this was bigger than her. This was _more_ than her. She swallowed her fear and smoothed her hand over his hair, raking her fingers gently over his scalp. His warm shoulders, covered only by a plain white T-shirt, trembled under her arms. "It's okay. I'm here," she murmured, willing her own fear to subside. "I'm here. I won't leave you," she whispered, resting her cheek against his hair. Her mind was still scrambling, trying to put two and two together, but it wasn't adding up. That was probably because Sasuke's past was still mostly a lockbox to her; there was not much she knew, because Sasuke didn't like to talk about it.

The trembling of his shoulders slowed, and his death grip on her shoulder and hair loosened slightly as his sobs slowly subsided. The hand on her shoulder shifted to dry it as best he could and he sniffed. Hinata dropped her hands to his shoulders to push him backwards so she could see his face, but he dropped his head back to her shoulder before dragging his forehead up and down the column of her neck.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his voice raspy and broken. "I didn't mean to..." He pressed his lips to her neck, kissing the areas his hands had bruised just a few minutes ago. "I'm sorry." He put some distance between them and lifted his head, but left his gaze on the bruises he'd left on her soft skin. His brows were furrowed and his eyes downcast. Hinata was at a loss. He stepped away from her, and without meaning to, she sighed with relief. Sad black eyes met her grey ones. He reached for her, his hands jerking to a halt when she flinched instinctively. They fell to his sides, fisting for a second before he stepped away from her. Hinata watched helplessly as the life drained from Sasuke's eyes and he closed himself away from her again. His eyes dropped to the carpet and his shoulders slumped forward as he edged away from her, slipping from the bedroom to the bar in the kitchen. Hinata stood still until he was gone. Then she was rushing for the bathroom, pausing only to scrape her phone from the nightstand.

She locked the door behind her, leaned her back against it, and slid to the floor before allowing herself to cry. She pressed her face to her knees and cried as quietly as she could. Her body shook as the adrenaline left her system, and left the impenetrable fear behind. She could feel his hand around her neck still, squeezing the life out of her, choking off her breath and ... she gasped, her breathing quickening and her head spinning slightly from the memory. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't stop crying.

Itachi. Itachi would know what to do, right? Her fingers fumbled over the keypad of her phone, and her thumbs trembled as she dialled Itachi's number from memory. He picked up after a few rings.

"Hey," he said simply, and waited.

"He... he..." Hinata blubbered into the phone, trying to get the words out over her gasping sobs.

"Hinata, what's wrong?" Itachi said, his voice concerned.

"He... he almost killed me," Hinata moaned quietly into the phone. "His hand... around my neck, I... I don't know what to do, Itachi," she sobbed.

"Who did this, Hinata?"

"S-Sasuke," she sobbed into the receiver, raking her hands through her hair. "What am I supposed to do?"

* * *

Sasuke felt the weight of his shame settle around his shoulders and push them down. His eyes were still burning from crying like a girl and he could still feel... he could still feel her neck beneath his palm. He tossed the clear sake from his glass into the back of his throat and tried in vain not to hear Hinata's sobs coming from the bathroom. She'd want an explanation soon. He could never tell her. There was no way he could tell her why. Why it was even possible for him to have done what he'd done. He sighed. It was _not_ supposed to happen like this. She hadn't left yet, but she would. It was over.

He leaned against the bathroom door and forced himself to listen to her sobs, and each one was like a dagger scraping over his heart. He had done this. He clenched his teeth against the urge to escape the sounds of her hurling in the toilet. He had done this. His stomach churned in response to the sounds coming from the bathroom mixed with the realization of what he'd done. He'd almost killed her. He had seen the light dimming from her eyes, but he hadn't stopped. His mind travelled back to remember what he'd been doing, but he couldn't remember seeing her face; just her eyes, and feeling her throat beneath his neck. There was a heavy pressure in his throat and chest. He downed another gulp of sake and rested his head against the wall. He couldn't remember what he'd seen those short minutes ago, and he couldn't tell her what he'd seen in the lobby. It was over. It was all over.

He heard the shower turn on, and knew he couldn't be here when Hinata got out of the bathroom. He knew what she was doing in there; he'd seen it before. There was no way he could face her after knowing she was in there now trying to wash every vestige of him off her body. He couldn't look at the bruises he'd put on her skin. He just couldn't. He was ruined. Their relationship was ruined. Sasuke trudged back to the kitchen, pulled the entire bottle of sake from the wine rack and let himself out of the suite. He closed the door gently behind him and walked, not bothering to fight the burn behind his eyelids.

* * *

Hinata stared at her reflection in the mirror and swallowed. She traced the bruises on her neck and shoulder with a finger and winced in pain. She'd stayed in the shower for half hour, but she could still feel his hand around her neck. She could see his angry face when she closed her eyes and she remembered his furious growls and the words he'd flung at her. Selfish. He'd called her selfish. Hinata could feel her eyes burning again, and she blinked furiously to keep them at bay. She raked her wet hair over her neck but the strands didn't hide the angry purple marks on her pale skin.

She had to hide them. Itachi said the sight of them would make it worse for him. Her heartbeat began to escalate at the mere thought of seeing Sasuke again. What would he do? She opened the makeup kit she kept on the counter by the bathroom sink and took out her concealer and face powder. She applied the cosmetics to her skin, dramatically reducing the visibility of the bruises. Some of the purple still showed, but it didn't look nearly as bad as it had. Hinata took a deep breath, wrapped her towel more securely around her and turned to face the bathroom door. It took her a few seconds, but she scrounged up the will to open it and step inside the bedroom. Her eyes flew around the room, searching for Sasuke. He wasn't there.

"S-Sasuke?" she called tentatively. There was no answer. It was as if the nightmare had begun again. Hinata's steps quickened as she made her way to the kitchen. He wasn't there. "Sasuke?" Worry over his safety outshone her fear of him when after looking through the entire suite it was apparent that Sasuke was gone. She wanted him back. Sure she was terrified of him at the moment, but that didn't mean she wanted him to leave. It didn't occur to Hinata that she could call Sasuke to find out where he was in her haste to find him. It didn't even occur to her that she should probably get dressed.

* * *

Sasuke was halfway through the bottle of sake and halfway down the path to the beach when he realized he didn't have his phone. What if she called? The sake was either really weak or his alcohol tolerance was really strong, because it didn't seem to be helping to dull his pain at all. His heart was burning and every beat felt like it would break his ribs. It was excruciating, and the liquor wasn't helping like it should have been.

"_Sauske... you're hurting me."_ He could still hear her wail in his mind. He sat on the sand on the edge of the path, the bottle between his knees and stared up at the sky. He hadn't expected the end of his relationship with Hinata to feel quite so awful. If yesterday hadn't been so... so _good_. If last night hadn't been so amazing, it wouldn't hurt quite so much. He wished today had never happened. No, he wished he'd never met Hinata. Because this episode was bound to happen no matter who he was with; he just wished it hadn't been Hinata. He'd squeezed... Damn it all, he's squeezed her _neck_. Sasuke scrubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand. The thought alone was enough to make him swallow quarter of the bottle of sake in one go, the burn in his throat only distracting him for a few seconds. Tourists on their way to the beach were taking a wide berth around him, and with good reason; he didn't trust himself around anyone at the moment.

"Sasuke!" He could hear her voice ringing in his skull. She would drive him crazy. "Sasuke!" He groaned. It stood to reason that his memories of her wouldn't be dulled by the passing of time, but would remain just as potent as if they were occurring now. A force ploughing into him from behind sent his bottle of sake tumbling from his fingers and into the sand. Cool, dry, incredibly soft arms wound around him from behind, soft breasts pressed against his back, and the unmistakeable scent of Hinata slammed into him with the force of a freight train. "Oh thank _Kami_ you're alright! I thought you'd left or gotten hurt or something! Oh, Sasuke how dare you walk out on me?" he heard her say over a relieved laugh... it must be the sake, messing with his head. The arms around him loosened and Hinata was in front of him, her hands smoothing over his face and arms and chest, and her large grey eyes worried and frantic. She was real. And his heart smiled.

* * *

He was okay. He had to be okay. She'd spotted his unmistakable physique slouched on the edge of the path to the beach and thought she would simply die of relief. She hadn't known what she'd thought might have happened to him, but just seeing for herself that he was okay was enough to make her head spin with relief. He was staring up at her, eyes wide with shock and his jaw slackened and hanging open. He smelled of sake, but Hinata couldn't bring herself to care. He was okay. He was okay. He was blinking dumbly up at her, his eyes taking stock of her appearance. His eyes dropped and didn't make it back up to her face.

Hinata could feel heat burning up her neck and face when she realized why. In her haste to ensure that _he_ was fine, _her _towel was in a puddle between her legs. A quick glance upwards told her several male tourists were enjoying the view as well, taking the time to stop and stare. Before she could react, Sasuke was covering her with her towel and scooping her into his arms. He stood, weaving a little, but that wasn't why Hinata's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't even because she felt unsafe in his arms, because right now she didn't... it was because of the way he had scooped her up... like she was _his_ and how dare the other men see her.

"You could have taken the time to dress yourself," Sasuke muttered from above her head, but Hinata got the sense he was pleased. Their eyes met and she could see that he felt torn between the pleasure and another emotion that he shuttered before she had a chance to identify it. He walked back to the hotel room, ignoring the stares of the other guests they passed on the way.

* * *

Sasuke was feeling seriously torn at the moment. He wasn't sure whether the guilt and sadness and shame he felt for what he'd done to Hinata was winning over the incredible desire that was building up inside him, but he knew they were both fighting for dominance. He wanted her. He wanted to show her he could still be gentle. He hadn't meant to hurt her before. He should stay away from her, but he hadn't left him. She'd come for him and she hadn't even taken the time to get dressed. That _meant_ something to him. But he was still scared to touch her. He might hurt her again... and do even more irreparable damage.

She was so warm and soft, and she smelled so good that he didn't know how much longer he would last. The sight of her naked body kneeling in front him refused to leave his mind's eye, and when it _did_ leave, it was replaced by the bruises he'd left on her skin. He didn't deserve her... but he wanted to. He wanted to deserve her. He bent at the knees slightly so that the hand under her legs could reach the doorknob to their suite, and pushed the door open with a shoulder.

* * *

When the door closed behind him, she slid from his arms, _and _the towel.

"_Try to get close to him as swiftly as you can to overcome the fear. You have to move fast before the fear becomes a part of you. He won't hurt you twice."_

Hinata swallowed slightly as she remembered Itachi's words. _"He won't hurt you twice."_ It would be okay, right? She was standing so close to him she could feel the heat of his chest on hers. She met his gaze with his and knew he wouldn't touch her, but she needed him to if their relationship was going to survive.

"Fix it." His eyes widened in shock, and Hinata watched comprehension slowly light his eyes. It was quickly snuffed out by doubt. Hinata drew on her resolve. If this relationship was going to work, she was going to have to put all her feelings about herself on the back burner, at least for now. He needed her.

"I... I don't know how," he admitted, and Hinata watched him struggle to keep his eyes on her... struggle to hide his shame, and his fear.

"You know how," she coaxed. "You're just scared to do it." When she reached for his hand and put it to her neck, he was the one that flinched. "Take it one step at a time, Sasuke. Now _fix it_." He blinked rapidly and swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing convulsively in his throat. He scooped her into his arms and carried her to the kitchen where he rested her on the cold marble counter-top. Sending little glances her way, Sasuke wordlessly dampened a kitchen towel at the sink and then stepped in front of her. Hinata tilted her head back to expose her throat and closed her eyes. She could hear him breathing for a moment before he ever so gently touched the kitchen towel to her skin. It was sore, but Hinata didn't flinch when he dragged the soft towel over her throat. She heard him gasp and her eyes flew open.

Sasuke was staring at her neck with a look of absolute horror on his face. He wiped the cloth over her shoulder and a groan sounded in his throat. His eyes darted from the bruises to her eyes and he took three steps back and raised his hands to his head.

"Hinata... Oh _Kami,_ Hinata, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean for that to happen... I..." His voice faltered and he turned and leaned against the opposite counter for support. "Oh Kami, Oh Kami, Oh Kami," she heard him whispering over and over.

"Sasuke," she called softly. He turned and faced her with sad black eyes. "Fix it," she finished. His brows furrowed but he swallowed and swiped a bowl from the dish drainer and filled it with cold water from the kitchen faucet. He dipped the kitchen towel in the bowl of cold water and proceeded to caress her neck with the soft damp material. Hinata felt herself relaxing under his incredibly tender ministrations. He turned to the ice dispenser and Hinata could hear the grinding sound as the machine crushed the ice and dispensed it into the damp cloth in his hands. She watched him spread the crushed ice down along the length of the towel, taking care to keep it in the center Then, he folded the exterior thirds of the cloth over the ice so that the towel formed a long rectangle with the ice inside. He gently wrapped the make-shift cold compress around her neck and rested her palm against the edge to keep it in place.

Finished, his dark eyes darted up to hers, begging for approval. She smiled, her eyes softening.

"Come," she whispered. He stepped closer to her, and she pulled him in between her legs and tilted her face up to his. It didn't escape her notice that he put both hands flat on the counter top, roughly three centimeters away from her hips. He didn't want to touch her. One step at a time. He dropped his head closer to hers, and stopped, waiting for her to make the next move. Hinata nudged her head forward, brushing his nose with hers. She heard his breathing deepen when he brushed the tip of his nose against her cheek. She parted her lips... he parted his, but didn't move. He waited for her.

Her lips brushed Sasuke's with a butterfly's touch, then she pulled her head back slightly. He dipped forward, his lower lip pushing against hers, then he moved back. Hinata licked her lower lip and tasted the residue of the expensive sake he'd been drinking on her mouth. It was sweet. She ran the tip of her tongue against his lower lip and waited impatiently for him to return the favor before flicking her tongue out to meet his before it receded into his mouth. Hinata pulled back and said the words she felt inside, and knew would help him release his inhibitions.

"I forgive you."

Hinata felt Sasuke's breath whoosh over her mouth and cheeks as he exhaled, then he took her tongue into his mouth, angling his head to deepen the kiss. His tongue slid over hers and he whispered her name into her mouth. His hands edged closer to her until is thumbs brushed her hips, and then they slid upwards so that his palms held her hips firmly but gently. Her tongue slid against the side of his, then dipped under the soft muscle to the sensitive area beneath. He returned the favour, slowly and carefully.

The kiss was soft and slow and gentle, but Hinata's heart was racing in her chest, and she could feel Sasuke's pulse thundering underneath where her palm rested on his neck. When her legs wrapped around his slim hips, the pace of the kiss switched almost instantaneously. It was short-lived, however, because Sasuke broke the kiss and stepped back, sucking in air as if his life depended on it.

"Sasuke?" Hinata said cautiously. They had been doing well, hadn't they?

"The couple... in the lobby..." Sasuke gasped, turning his dark eyes to meet her grey ones. She'd forgiven him _without_ knowing why he'd done what he'd done, and he couldn't live with that, even though his respect for her now surpassed anyone else he was acquainted with. "They were... Fugaku and Mikoto... Uchiha... my parents," he finished, his chest heaving. Hinata felt her eyes widen. The pieces fell into place, and she understood.

She pulled him into her arms, not caring that she hadn't a speck of clothing on her body. She wrapped her arms around him, smoothed his hair from his face. Their eyes met, but neither one said anything for a couple seconds. Sasuke was thinking she was the first person he'd ever voluntarily spoken to about his parents when she spoke, interrupting his thoughts.

"Sasuke...what are we going to do?"

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**Argh! I felt guilty for taking so very long to update, so here is a chapter that I typed in one go! I only got up once to visit the little girl's room... lol... Please, tell me what you thought of this! This is uncharted territory for me, so I am unsure of whether or not this even makes sense... And yes, Itachi and another well known character will be making their appearance soon, maybe in the next chapter. Any guesses as to who the other character will be? (^_^)! Please oh please review! **


	18. Chapter 18

**Whooo we are almost done with the storyline I had in mind! Never thought I would actually come this close to putting the 'Complete' tag on a story! (^_^)! Thanks for the reads and especially for the reviews! Big thanks to follows and faves! **

**Just a reminder to all who read, yes, the song lyrics are all my creations apart from Sai's song, which was given to me by a school friend. All other lyrics are my own poems. Thank you for the lovely reviews about them, and sorry I took so long with this chapter, but I wanted it to fit.**

* * *

She'd rolled away from him. Sasuke wasn't sure if that was something she normally did in her sleep, but she hadn't done that last night. He would have put it from his mind if not for the fact that she hadn't gone to sleep yet. He hadn't either, but that wasn't the issue. The issue was that she'd cuddled up with him, then when his breathing evened out as he'd relaxed, she rolled away from him. She was scared. She was scared, and Sasuke knew it, and it scared him.

"Hinata... you awake?" he whispered into the darkness of the room. His eyes, having adjusted to the lack of light, saw her curled up at the very edge of the bed. She didn't respond, but her posture alone told him she was very much awake. She just didn't want him to think she was. Sasuke could feel a heavy pressure building up in his chest. "Hinata?" he whispered again, just for good measure. No answer. Turning on his side, Sasuke looked over at the girl in bed with him.

The comforter was gathered at her waist, and she was wearing one of his old band T-shirts with the sleeves hacked off. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her hair fanned out like a navy carpet around her face. She was beautiful. Sasuke found himself reaching for her; he couldn't help it. However, when, as soon as his fingertips rested on the smooth skin of her bare arm Hinata flinched, Sasuke snatched his hand back as if she'd burned him... or he'd burned her. There was a restlessness building up within him. He couldn't explain it, but he couldn't stay in bed with her. Not like this. Not after what he'd done. Sure, she said she'd forgiven him, but had she really? Or had she just said so to make him feel better about the whole episode? He needed to write.

An ache in his chest at the notion that he couldn't fix this and their relationship would slowly crumble to nothing after a while made Sasuke clutch at his own skin to distract himself. It hurt. The thought that he'd finally managed to wreck everything good around him hurt. He'd wrecked his family, he'd wrecked his band, and he'd wrecked this thing with Hinata, no matter how much she tried to pretend he hadn't. Oh, Kami, he needed a pen and paper and some space so bad right now.

Sasuke rolled off the bed, trying not to notice how Hinata's body seemed to relax as soon as he was gone, and reached for his suitcase. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a grey V-necked sleeveless shirt, shoved his feet into some boots, strapped them up and grabbed his notepad and pen. Hinata still wasn't asleep, but she'd relaxed. There was a nervous little tension in her neck, like she was waiting for him to leave. Sasuke could feel the dense pressure of depression pressing down on his shoulders. He felt like he was in a bog. Suddenly, it was like everything in the room was closing around him, suffocating him; pushing him out. Pushing him away from her. He should leave before he hurt her again. Sasuke took a step back from the bed, and then it was like he couldn't get out of the room fast enough. He locked the door behind himself, but the hall walls around him were just the same; closing in, pushing closer to him, looming over him like cream concrete sentinels.

His heart was racing, slamming against its cage so hard it hurt. He felt wild; panicked, even. It was hard to breathe, and it felt like he would die if he stood there. The lights in the passage hurt his eyes. Burned. He had to get out of there. He had to get into the open. He could barely hear his footsteps as he ran for the stairs; there was no way he could be in an elevator right now. He was sweating bullets and his vision was almost shot, but he managed to make it to the lobby. It was so hard to breathe by now that he could hear himself gasping for air; he could feel the sting of air slicing into the back of his throat. His heart was palpitating, making him dizzy and disoriented, and he had only one thought. _'Get outside!'_

When he pushed past the people in the lobby, out the doors and into the fresh air of the outside, he almost crumpled to his knees from sheer relief. His heart was still racing, but the walls weren't closing in on him this time. Panic attack. Sasuke forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. He sat on the short wall overlooking the garden, put his head between his legs, and forced himself to concentrate on his breathing. It had been a while since he'd had a panic attack of this magnitude. He remembered it without wanting to.

_Sasuke's eyes snapped open, staring into the blackness above him. Thump. His heart gave one heavy beat. Where were his parents? Thump. Were they home yet? Thump. He got up from his bed and found himself running to his parents' bedroom. He stood in front of the door, afraid to open it because he was afraid of what he would find behind it, or rather, what he __**wouldn't**__ find. Sasuke reached out a shaking hand, gripped the doorknob, and turned. The door opened without a creak, and Sasuke's worst fears were realized. _

_His parents' bed was still made up. It hadn't been slept in at all. Thump. Thump. Thump thump thump. Sasuke could feel his heart beating harder and faster._

_"Okaa-san? Otou-san?" he called. His childish voice rang out in the eerie quiet of the Uchiha family home. Sasuke searched every corner of his parents' room to no avail; they weren't there. "'Tachi-kun?" Sasuke called, wanting his big brother... but Itachi had left for the Konoha military today. Seven-year old Sasuke ran, panting to his older brother's room to check- just in case. He burst into Itachi's room and felt a crushing pressure in his chest when he saw his brother's empty room. Turning on his heels, Sasuke fought the tears building up behind his lids._

_"Okaa-san! Where are you?" Sasuke ran from room to room, panic building up in his chest as each room turned up empty. He'd walked home from school today when his father hadn't picked him up, but this was strange. He'd never been home alone before. Not without Itachi to protect him. What if someone came into the house? What if? Sasuke's heart was beating so fast it hurt his chest. He bumped into walls and furniture in the oppressive darkness. Openly crying now, the seven year old called for his parents until his throat ached and his voice went hoarse._

_"I'm sorry... I'm sorry 'tou-san! I'll be good, I promise! I promise I'll be good... please come out! 'Tou-san!" Sasuke cried. He opened every drawer, every cupboard, every closet, but his parents weren't there. The car wasn't in the garage. And Itachi was gone. Suddenly, he couldn't breathe. "Help! Someone, help me," he cried out hoarsely, his breath hitching. The walls seemed to be pressing into him from every angle, and he was too short to reach the light switch without a chair... but the chair was too heavy to push... and he was all alone._

Sasuke pulled a harsh breath into his lungs and pushed the memory as far down as it would go. That month had been hellish. That was the month when he'd realized what he really was. Unwanted. His parents had gone. Or they were dead. But Sasuke had been intuitive enough to know, even at that age, that they weren't dead. He didn't feel that awful _feeling_ that made him know that they were dead... but he did know that they weren't coming back... and then the most important thing to him then was ensuring that **_no one knew_**. If they knew that not even his parents wanted him... If they _knew_...

So Sasuke went to school every day. He studied. Some days he didn't eat, because he burned the food he tried to make. On the days that he burned himself with the stove, he wore long sleeves to school. And he practiced... he practiced cutting things with the big knives in the kitchen so he wouldn't cut himself when he wanted to cook. He lied when people asked for his parents. And he lied when they asked if he was okay; he always said he was. And as he grew, Sasuke didn't look for them, because he knew they didn't want to be found. His father had resigned from his job, and his mother had quit her residency at the hospital. He hadn't even known where to look.

Sasuke went to the hotel bar, and found a table with enough lighting that he could see what he was writing, then the words seemed to spill from him. He thought of seeing his parents after so much time... they hadn't noticed him there, and they'd seemed so different to how he'd remembered them. They had laugh lines, they were smiling and happy and proud of the children seeking their attention. Sasuke remembered frown lines. Sasuke remembered the annoyed, cursory glances his father had given him on the occasions when Sasuke wanted to play, and the fake smiles they had offered when he'd tried to please them. Even at that age, Sasuke knew that his endeavours hadn't been successful, even though they smiled and told him his crafts were 'very nice'.

_A silent whisper of a time gone by_

_You're synthesized by new direction_

Sasuke thought of the little boy who looked so much like he had at that age. He thought of how calm and happy his parents had seemed, and the words within him seemed to beg for release.

_A different me, a different version_

_You thought you'd go without detection_

Sasuke remembered Hinata's face when he told her what he'd seen. He wondered what would happen to those children in the future. Would Fugaku and Mikoto abandon them too?

_An oozing blister hung out to dry_

_The same old lie, a newer version_

_You discarded your greatest failing_

_For a second chance at nothing_

He wondered, were there more like him? More abandoned Uchiha children, wandering around the world? A sick part of him hoped there were – he didn't want to be the only one of his kind.

_Am I one of a kind?_

From an early age he'd been scared of being alone. It was the worst sort of feeling, so he'd clung. He clung to his mother at the supermarket. He clung to his father at the toy store. He clung to Itachi in every other moment.

_Did you read my mind?_

_To display my darkest fears?_

Was he the only one? Was he the only one they'd left behind?

_Am I one of a kind?_

_Are there more left behind?_

_Or am I the only one?_

Sasuke was crying again... he hadn't even realized, but his notepad was wet in places and it wasn't raining. Sasuke swiped at his face, and allowed his anger to push forward, to cover himself and protect him once again. It couldn't be his entire fault, could it?

_Your sick effect is an infection_

_The ultimate fear of utter rejection_

_My pain is spreading to all around me_

_Or did you think you'd get off easy?_

A waitress in a tight black skirt put a drink in front of him and told him it was from the girls across the bar from him. Sasuke spared them a smile and a nod, but nothing else. He wasn't interested; there was only one woman he had the time for.

_Have you done this to another one?_

_Have you left out another person?_

_Did you perfect your craft by trial and error?_

_Or was I your only failing?_

Sasuke's teeth ground so hard against each other that he could hear it in his ears.

_Am I one of a kind?_

_Did you read my mind?_

_To enact my darkest fears_

_Am I one of a kind_

_Did you hope to find out_

_That the mistake lies in me and not you?_

_Am I one of a kind? You left me behind_

_Have you done this before; turned a blind eye?_

_If so, why?_

_Am I one of a kind? Or are there more like me?_

The question haunted him. Were there more like him? Was he so bad that they had to leave to escape him? Had he made them ashamed of him? He'd done well, hadn't he? Made a name for himself in the music industry... so why hadn't they come? He'd been successful, so why hadn't they come for him? Weren't they proud, or had they wanted him to be someone else? He raised his glass to his mouth.

"I thought I would find you here, Otouto." Sasuke paused mid gulp and almost cried from the welcome voice. Itachi. He took a deep breath and turned to face his big brother. Before he could even respond, Itachi was pulling him from his seat and dragging him outside. Sasuke couldn't speak. He'd tried, but the words wouldn't make it past his throat. Itachi was here. Itachi pushed him against the wall outside the bar, stood in front him to block him from the view of passersby, folded his brawny arms across his chest and waited, staring at him with dark, patient eyes. A couple deep breaths later, Sasuke found his voice.

"They're here." Itachi needed no more explanation, and Sasuke could see from the slight shift in his brother's stance that his insurmountable willpower was all that was keeping him from punching something.

"Where did you see them?" The quiet voice held barely hidden anger.

"In the lobby. They have two more kids 'Tachi-kun... Two more... he looked just like... he looked just like me... I..." Itachi rested a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, stopping him from speaking anymore.

"Come." Then Itachi turned and walked away. Sasuke followed, feeling like he was six again, following like a puppy behind his big brother. He resented the fact that he felt safe now that Itachi was here. He should be able to feel safe by himself, damn it. Itachi walked into the lobby and moved directly to the receptionist.

"Hello, Welcome to the Byakugan Hotel. How may help you?" The receptionist smiled, fiddling with her hair when she saw Itachi. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Itachi didn't miss a beat. He smiled. He actually smiled at the woman.

"I am looking for the room of my parents and siblings," he said, sliding his ID onto the counter so she could see his name. "An Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto." The receptionist slid her gaze from the ID card on the counter to Itachi and shook her head in frustration.

"I'm sorry... I wish I could tell you, but it's against company policy. Do you have a number to call them on?"

"I lost my phone," Itachi lied easily. "Are you sure you can't give me their room number? It's an emergency." He stared down the receptionist until her pen slipped from her fingers.

"I- I can't..." she stuttered, blushing.

"Not even for VIP entry to the next Team 7 concert? I really need to see my parents," Itachi continued. Sasuke wanted to stop him, but he couldn't move. He did smile, however, when Itachi slid to the side to the receptionist could see him. She blinked rapidly and glanced at her computer screen.

"I can... I can give you three room numbers and tell you which ones they _aren't_ in," she said, sneaking a glance at Itachi. He smiled approvingly. Within seconds, Itachi and Sasuke were in the elevator. Sasuke didn't feel at all claustrophobic... Itachi was there. They stood in silence in the elevator as it moved upwards, stopping with a high pitched _'Ding'_ when it got to the fourth floor.

The elevator doors, shiny chrome slabs, slid open, revealing the deep burgundy carpet that stretched ahead of them down a well lit hallway with doors leading off each side. Without even thinking, Sasuke reached for his older brother's hand, but as soon as Itachi's warm fingers wrapped around his, the shame of what he'd done almost crushed him… but he couldn't let go, because… what if Itachi left too? To his credit, Itachi didn't even turn his head and look at him, but started walking from the elevator with Sasuke in tow.

Sasuke couldn't even look up, and tears were threatening to spill again, but he held them back. He couldn't let Itachi see him crying again. They stopped.

"Pull yourself together, Otouto," Itachi's smooth voice said, calming Sasuke. It wasn't condescending, or irritated, or angry, or disappointed… it wasn't anything. It was just a command. _Pull yourself together. _Sasuke squared his shoulders, wiped his eyes, and reached for his Team 7 façade. He reluctantly let go of Itachi's hand, and shoved his hands into his pockets. Itachi rapped on the room door they were standing in front of, standing close enough to Sasuke that their shoulders brushed every now and again as they breathed. Sasuke smiled. It was Itachi's way of maintaining contact without being such a pussy as to hold hands. It made him feel like shit, but all the same, it was the contact he needed, so it soothed him too.

Sasuke and Itachi must have waited only about a half minute for someone to come to the door; they knew the knocks were heard because of the shuffling and murmurs behind the door, but to Sasuke, it seemed they waited for hours.

The door finally opened.

"Oh, Kami," a voice breathed from behind it.

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**Yeah yeah, I know! I should have updated sooner or at least made the chapter longer, but my life sucks right now! Lol bad excuse. Eh… just please let me know what you think of all this garble… so revieeww! (^_^) ahaha I can't believe I am this close to completing my first proper fiction! Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope to update again soon! Thanks in advance for the reviews!**


	19. Chapter 19

**You might hate me a little for this chapter... SORREH! That said, thank you for the lovely reviews! **

**Note: There are going to be several flashbacks in this chapter, and I will enclose them between two lines, and they will be written in italics. Just so you don't confuse them with the song lyrics, which will be centred and in italics. I know you guys wanted the entire thing to play out, but I wasn't feeling the scene that way, and I thought this might be a bit more interesting.**

**A/N: Okay I was asked ... again... about my songs. So, I decided to tell you guys about my creative process for the story. I literally get into character for Sasuke (especially since I have no concrete plot for the story, and I am completely winging it), so much so that I literally feel hurt when he does. When I write his songs, I write from his point of view, however they are just poems of mine. I am inordinately pleased that you thought they were real songs! I promise you, though, that they are mine. Other songs might have similar lyrics, but I didn't even really take inspiration from any other song; I just sit at school... mostly in Statistics class, and write the song that matches what's going on in the current chapter. **

**Also, because I was winging it, the explanation behind his parents' leaving is coming to me as I go... but please don't flame me! Haha... chalk it up to this being fiction, and humans being a fickle race!**

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**Previously...**

Sasuke and Itachi must have waited only about a half minute for someone to come to the door; they knew the knocks were heard because of the shuffling and murmurs behind the door, but to Sasuke, it seemed they waited for hours.

The door finally opened.

"Oh, Kami," a voice breathed from behind it.

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**One month later...**

Sasuke shifted the microphone and looked over the crowd, his heart heavy. His heart had been heavy since the whole situation at Byakugan Hotels... seeing his parents, finding Hinata in the arms of some guy, breaking up with Hinata and finding himself on the verge of leaving Team 7. He decided to stay on with Team 7, but it wasn't the same. It wasn't fun. It was a place to go to momentarily escape his life. He could tell his bandmates wanted to ask questions, but he knew they wouldn't pry. He could just go, play, leave and bury himself in drink as soon as he got home. Then he could forget the whole day and start over again.

Team 7 was at the Arena again, doing the debut of their new album, _Dans Ma Tête, _and playing the last song of the album, _So Goodbye. _He'd written it on the bus ride home from Byakugan Hotels and he'd called up Kakashi and made a deal.

* * *

_Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Kakashi to pick up. The scenery whizzed past outside, and even though he was staring at it, he wasn't really seeing it. _

_"Yo, Sasuke! How's the trip going?" Kakashi asked breathily over a feminine squeal in the background. Sasuke could hear the silver-haired guitarist's grin over the phone. There was the sound of rustling and movement over the line and feminine laughter and mumbles. Sasuke rolled his eyes. He'd interrupted them... doing whatever kinky thing they were doing._

_"It blew. Listen, I'm thinking about leaving the band," Sasuke said, his voice raspy from crying like a fucking kid earlier. "I don't know if I can do it anymore." There was a squawk, 'sshhh'ing noises and then silence._

_"What did you say?" Kakashi asked obviously not believing his ears._

_"I said I'm thinking about leaving. Things aren't going so well right now, and I just... I don't know if I can do this." Sasuke's throat felt scratchy... dry... and his head was pounding. _

_"Don't say that, man. Do you wanna talk about it?" Kakashi offered, and Sasuke heard a door slam in the background, as if his band leader had gone somewhere more private. A sigh moved through him. His chest rose and fell slowly, heavily. He could feel himself circling the drain of depression... that could be a song lyric... he would write it later._

_"No... I just... I don't know if..." He was confused, too. Now he knew why his parents had left, and it had been as he'd suspected. It was his fault. That much wasn't much of a surprise; he had just been foolishly hoping that it was something else. _

_They talked for a while more, Sasuke avoiding telling Kakashi anything about the trip, and Kakashi attempting to keep him in the band. It felt a good to hear that someone actually wanted him. Hinata sure hadn't stopped him when he ran... or maybe the blood pounding in his ears had blocked the sound of her calling him... or maybe she hadn't seen him, or recognized his voice when he walked in on her with that guy... or maybe she __**just didn't care.**_

_"Alright, tell you what, why don't you write one more album for us, and if it doesn't sell, you can go, and if it does, you stay. I know you've got it in you, and I also know that if you don't have your music, you'll crash," Kakashi said softly. Sasuke swallowed, looked up at the roof of the bus and blinked rapidly to ease the burning in his eyes. He nodded, then remembered he was on the phone._

_"'Kay..." he mumbled into the phone. He knew he would cling to this, and he hoped the music sold, because he knew that Team 7 was literally all he had left. Well, maybe Itachi, too, but his older brother had not caught up with him before he left. Maybe that was good, maybe that was bad, but Sasuke had not been able to stay and find out._

* * *

Naruto started with the bass, but without the usual bright smile on his face. In fact, all the faces of the band were solemn, knowing what this song was going to take out of Sasuke. Kakashi came in with the lead guitar accompaniment and Sakura slapped relentlessly at the drums. Sai was on the keyboard, his face stony. Sasuke stared out into the crowd as he began to sing, as if challenging them to respond.

_Why is it that everything I touch fades away?_

_Why is it that every colour here turns to grey?_

_Why is it that everyone around me never stays?_

_Why is it that every time I look you turn away?_

Everything had gone south that night. Everything. Starting with his parents.

* * *

_"Oh, Kami," Fugaku said as he opened the door. Sasuke cringed involuntarily when his father's eyes passed from Itachi, to him, then back to Itachi and staying there. "What are you doing here?" Fugaku asked, slipping out into the hall and closing the door behind him. _

_"Sasuke came here with his girlfriend, and saw you," Itachi said, edging ever so subtly in front of Sasuke, wordlessly shielding him._

_"Ever the big brother, aren't you, Itachi," Fugaku said approvingly, even though when his gaze landed on Sasuke, the approval was non-existent. Sasuke squirmed. "And you, ever the snivelling kid, aren't you?" Fugaku scoffed, shaking his head. As if that justified abandoning him at seven years old._

_"Why? Why did you go?" Sasuke heard himself ask, satisfied that his voice sounded stony rather than 'snivelling'. _

_"I made a difficult decision," Fugaku replied, a grimace flashing over his face for a brief moment. "One I would make again, if I had to." Sasuke flinched, taking in a sharp breath from the pain that streaked through him. He'd always wondered if his parents ever regretted leaving him... now he had his answer._

* * *

That night had gone down so badly... everything about that day, actually, had been a mistake. Everything about his life had been a mistake. He himself was a mistake... a busted condom, the way his mother told it. He was destined to fail.

_I feel like a monster, I feel like a storm_

He thought of Hinata, how he'd attacked her. The sound of her crying in the bathroom.

_I feel like the one who breaks the good things_

His existence had almost split his parents apart... but they had chosen each other over him.

_I feel all the sorrow, I feel all your hate_

Hinata's frightened eyes flashed through his face, as well as the face she'd made in the middle of that debacle with Sai.

_I feel like the one who keeps you hurting..._

_So, goodbye._

Sasuke saw the effect his song had on the crowd. They were solemn too. Most likely they were confused as to what was going on with him, and no doubt the tabloids and newspapers would be crammed with details and 'insider information' and speculation, but no one would really know, would they. He was all alone in this. He got ready for the second verse. Naruto played the bass introduction and Sakura gave the drums a slap.

_Tell me, why is it that everyone around me is in pain?_

_Why is it that I'm the one who's shouldering the blame?_

_Why is it that you just won't look... at me?_

_Why is it that I have all to lose and none to gain?_

Sasuke's mind went back to when he'd run from his parent's room to get comfort from Hinata... just someone to hold him.

* * *

_Sasuke pushed open the door, breathing heavily from the effort of staving off the frustrated and pained tears. Hinata was awake; he'd seen the light under the door. She could make this a bit better. He looked up, his eyes burning, and then his heart stopped. Of course. After what he'd done to her, why wouldn't she find comfort in the arms of another man? After what he'd done, why wouldn't she want to be with someone else? It wasn't like being unwanted was something new to him, right? He could get over it, right? _

_Sasuke took a step back, his hand going to his mouth to stop the strangled sound that threatened to come out when the man in his room stepped protectively in front of Hinata, eyes narrowed. Of course. She'd told him. His heart gave a painful thump. He'd been so sure that when he'd gotten her as his, everything would be okay, but he'd never felt pain this intense before! Nothing was going right. Not his family, not his girlfriend, and it was all his fault. He was the cause of all this. He was the one hurting everyone. The pain in everyone's equations was only present because of him..._

_"I'll just go..." he managed to rasp out before turning on his heel and running back outside. He was alone. Again. He was a mistake, right? So it was not like he was supposed to live a fruitful happy life anyway. No one expected anything of him. No one's life was any better because of his existence._

* * *

Sasuke felt a shudder move through him and swallowed with some difficulty during the pause separating the second verse from the chorus.

_I feel like a monster, I feel like a storm_

_I feel like the one that breaks the good things_

_I feel all this anger, I caused all this pain_

_I know I'm the one that keeps you hurting,_

_So, goodbye_

His voice rasped with emotion as he did the climb into the bridge. His hand was gripping the microphone so tightly his knuckles whitened, and he swiped at his leaking eyes with his free hand.

_Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye!_

_I hope when I leave it all gets better_

The Team 7 members came in, harmonizing their support of him.

_(Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye!)_

Sasuke ran the next line over their harmonies.

_I hope when I leave you'll smile again_

_And I can take the bad parts with me..._

Sakura hit the chimes for the ending lines of the song, and Kakashi's guitar wailed painfully alongside it. The keyboard filled the song with a rush of sound as Sasuke began to sing, his voice reduced to a pained whisper.

_I feel like a monster, I feel like a storm_

_I feel like the one that wrecked a good thing_

_I feel all the sorrow, I caused all this pain_

_I know I'm the one that kept you hurting.._

_And I'm sorry, and I'm leaving..._

_So good...bye..._

The song ended with his whisper among a rush of chimes, which faded into complete silence before the crowd began to roar. He knew many people out there understood his lyrics, each in their own way, and he hoped Hinata would understand his attempt at an apology at the end of the song. Sasuke stepped away from the microphone and gave his eyes another swipe before raising his hand and walking off the stage.

**000000**

Later that night, Sasuke sat in his living room, nursing his eighth beer and staring at the spot where Hinata had told him she was willing to give it a try. He'd fucked that up so well, hadn't he? Sasuke hated himself at that point. He hated everything about himself. He hated his face, his hair, his body... _himself._ He got up from the couch, cursing and weaving drunkenly and staggered into the kitchen. He grabbed a pair of scissors and seriously thought about ending it all right there and then... wipe the slate clean, so to speak, but then he chickened out the moment the cold metal touched his flesh. Instead, he raised it to his hair.

He knew now why he'd grown his hair out. The real reason he hadn't found the time to get it cut. Itachi. He'd wanted to be like his big brother. _Snip_. So much for that. _Snip_. He'd never be that good. _Snip. _He'd never be the type someone could ever be proud of. _Snip. _He'd never come close. _Snip. _He'd never truly be wanted... be someone's only choice. _Snip._ Sasuke's whole body shuddered when he saw the long black hair fall to the kitchen floor, and he found himself leaning against the counter from the force of his tears as the _feelings _hit him with the force of a freight train. The scissors clattered to the floor as they slipped from his limp fingers and he jumped slightly when they cut his leg on the way down.

His phone rang... Sasuke watched the cellular phone move across the table as it vibrated, its screen lighting up with an image of Kakashi on it. He reached over and pressed 'Ignore'. The phone rang again a few seconds later. Sakura. He ignored her call too. It rang again. Naruto. He almost answered, but then he hit ignore too. When the phone rang again and he saw Hinata's image on the screen, he picked up the offensive item and flung it against the wall. He didn't want to talk to her. He ached to hear her voice so much he couldn't bear to talk to her over the phone.

He wished he could be in her arms right now, his head buried in her neck and his arms around her... He wished he could be surrounded by her scent. He wished he could look into those grey eyes and not see any fear there. He wished he could go back to when she was smiling at him, to when they bickered over whether hamburgers were better with or without ketchup. Simple things. He wished it could be just him and her and no one else. No one to bother them. No one to get in the way. But it was too late for that.

Sasuke staggered to the fridge, weak from the pain rather than inebriation, and pulled out the bottle of wine he'd gotten for his and Hinata's return home. Something to celebrate, he'd thought. Now it would help him cope with the collapse of his life. He popped the top and put it to his lips, wanting to drink it down fast rather than enjoy it. He wanted it to just put him in a state where he couldn't even think, much less hurt. It wouldn't be enough, but he had more liquor around this place. He could drink himself to unconsciousness.

Sasuke didn't remember how he managed to get to his room, but he lost consciousness at the door and crashed to the floor, the bottles in hand. He woke up to searing pain in his skull and an aching jaw. His face was pressed to the floor, his hand still on the neck of a now empty bottle, whose contents had soaked the front of his shirt and stomach. He shifted. He should really get up... He should really start moving... He didn't feel like it. His head was pounding, and he felt bile sting the back of his throat. Oh no. But then, he didn't care. He threw up on the floor, choking and sputtering before rising onto his elbows and staring at the mess with disgust. The smell made him hurl again... and again... and again. He coughed on the regurgitated alcohol and ... and other stuff that pushed its way up his throat. He slowly pushed one knee forward, then the other, until he was on all fours, then he felt blindly for the doorjamb so he could pull himself to standing position. After a couple tries, he managed to stand and slowly make his way to the bathroom, where he hurled into the toilet again.

His strength sapped, he held onto the base of the toilet and just breathed. It was then that he heard it, his own voice over the radio.

_Round and round, circle the drain_

_The World of Heavy Burden calls_

_Shh, don't make a sound while you soak in your pain_

_The World of Heavy Burden is where the ones like you fall_

_So don't complain, this is your fault_

_And you can't break yourself from this vault_

Sasuke flushed the toilet and managed to stand. He clung to the basin edge and stared at his reflection in the mirror above it. His eyes were red, bloodshot and sunken. His face was pale and haggard and his hair was a mess. The song continued, taunting him as he stared at himself.

_So, Whoosh! Bang!_

_Welcome to the World of Heavy Burden!_

_Pack your bags, you'll be here a while!_

_You see..._

_This is where you truly belong_

_And no one cares to see your smile_

_And you'll be here for a while_

Sasuke turned the tap on, and splashed water over his face. He plugged the drain, watched the basin fill, and plunged his face into the water, with the sick urge to end it all, again. The song saved him as it went into the second verse.

_Cling to the edge, try not to fall_

He lifted his head, water spraying from his mouth and nose as he coughed and sputtered, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the edge of the basin.

_The World of Heavy Burden is underneath you_

_Make a pledge; you might change your own fate_

_But the World of Heavy Burden is for people like you_

_Don't complain, this is where you should be_

_And what you did is the perfect entry fee_

Sasuke took off his shirt and pushed his pants and underwear off, and took a short breath, trying to ignore the pounding in his skull. He got into the shower, but didn't turn the water on.

_So, Whoosh! Bang! _

_Welcome to the World of Heavy Burden!_

_Pack your bags, you'll be here a while!_

_You see..._

_This is where you truly belong_

_And no one cares to see your smile_

_Oh, and you'll be here for a while_

The showerhead jerked a bit as Sasuke turned the knob and the water came pulsing through in a cold spray.

_We suggest you get comfortable_

He was harmonizing with Kakashi there...

_And you can try to climb out for free_

Naruto had joined them with the harmonies.

_But pain is a part of getting out of this place_

Now Sakura...

_And don't expect forgiveness or grace_

And that was Sai, joining them.

_But it's not impossible to claw your way out_

There was a pause in the vocals where the music built up.

_But, Whoosh! Bang!_

_Welcome to the World of Heavy Burden!_

_Pack your bags, you'll be here a while!_

_You see..._

_This is where you truly belong_

_And no one cares to see your smile_

_Oh, and you'll be here for a while_

_You'll stay here a while,_

_In the World of Heavy Burdens... with me!_

Sasuke stood under the cold spray, not knowing where to go from there. Yamanaka Ino's voice came on as the song faded out, and she was joined by some other random person.

_Ino: Wow, that song was almost tear jerking! I had to reach for a Kleenex for a moment there! How about you, Genma?_

_Genma: Yes certainly. It makes you wonder what is going on in Uchiha Sasuke's head. This was one of the songs from Team 7's latest album _Dans ma Tête _which we know means 'In my Head'..._

_Ino: Yes, available in stores worldwide and on the internet right now, people. I must say, this album is a loaded one._

Sasuke closed his eyes, standing motionless under the cold spray.

_Genma: Ino, were you at their stage show yesterday? It was a very moving performance, but I've got insider information that Uchiha is planning to leave Team 7._

_Ino: NO! Was that meant to be their final song, then? I was wondering why they all looked so solemn! _

The voices faded, or rather, Sasuke shut them out. He bathed slowly. He would start with his hair... he'd get a new haircut... then he'd take it from there.

Twenty minutes later, Sasuke was reaching for the door handle. He'd pulled a grey beanie over his head to cover his messily chopped hair and was dressed in black distressed skinny jeans, a grey graphic shirt that was stylishly large on him, and combat boots. He pulled open the door and saw someone he hadn't expected to ever see again walking up his driveway. Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The old man stopped right in front of Sasuke.

"Itachi called," he said simply. Sasuke felt his heart jump. Hiruzen was an old family friend, one that Sasuke had had to avoid at all costs to escape the questions.

"Yeah... I'm sorry, but I was just heading out..." Sasuke mumbled, attempting to pull another evasion.

"I'm coming, son," Hiruzen said, putting a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and looking at him kindly. Sasuke clenched his jaw. His own father didn't call him 'son'. Instead of speaking, he pushed past the old man and stalked to his car. He sat in the driver's seat, and he should have driven off in the ultimate evasion, but he waited for Hiruzen to get in.

"This is a nice car, Sasuke. You've done well for yourself," Hiruzen said, his eyes perusing the car's interior. Sasuke flinched, not expecting a compliment. He waited for the 'but', but it didn't come. The silence stretched in the car.

"Why don't you just ask, already?!" Sasuke screamed, turning to face the old man. "I know you're just dying to find out!" Hiruzen replied only with a grunt that could have been taken either way. "I saw my parents, alright... and they've got a new life... a new family... they didn't want me... I was the mistake that nearly wrecked my parents' marriage because the condom burst... I was the one that kept my mom away from the job of her dreams for seven years... So when Itachi left for the ANBU, they... they left too... they didn't even go back for their clothes." Sasuke started the car and pulled away from his house, his face tight and pained. Hiruzen said nothing.

Sasuke began to talk.

* * *

_"Why did you leave me behind?" Sasuke asked, his hands tightened into fists. Fugaku ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the ceiling._

_"We couldn't take you, Sasuke. Mikoto had a position pending at a research hospital in Amegakure for seven years. She was going to go but then... you... happened. It was unplanned, but the hospital's HR department had stipulated that the doctors there be childless, since there were long hours to be worked and a kid would get in the way," Fugaku said, glancing at the door. Itachi stood in stony silence next to Sasuke._

_"What did you think would happen to me? There was no one there, and I was __**seven**__!" Sasuke shouted, eyes wide and hurting. _

_"Shut up!" Fugaku hissed, glancing at the room door. "You'll wake the twins." Sasuke flinched at that. "We couldn't afford to think about that-" His sentence was cut short when Sasuke punched him in the face._

* * *

Sasuke panted a bit, and swiped at his eyes.

"They left you for a position at a research hospital?" Hiruzen murmured, eyes blazing.

"They left because I was a burden," Sasuke managed. "I was a mistake. When mom made some big discovery, they moved to the teaching section of the hospital... and she had the twins... Aoi and Akira... they're five. They wanted to start over in the life mom had always dreamed of..." Sasuke sneered. "You know, they wouldn't even let me see them... I didn't get to meet my little brother and sister... because my parents don't want me back. They want Itachi... but not me, because I am the mistake. I'm not a military man like Itachi, I'm just some musician. I don't have a _real_ job or _real_ accomplishments."

"And then to make matters worse Hinata..." Sasuke couldn't finish the sentence. He couldn't bear to say out loud that he'd almost killed his girlfriend and now she was with some other guy. He stopped the car right where it was in the road, ignoring the honking horns behind him as the other cars behind him piled up.

Hiruzen gave him a long look. "You didn't deserve that, Sasuke. I wish I had known that was what was going on... I would have taken you in," the old man muttered, giving Sasuke a look of such acute regret Sasuke's chest clenched painfully. "You were not a mistake, Sasuke, you were meant to be here, and you are meant to be happy. I don't know how you managed. Why did you not say anything?" Hiruzen placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. It was warm and caring and fatherly and a broken sob burst from Sasuke's lips.

"I was ashamed..." he said softly. He was about to say more when a bang against his glass caught his attention. He turned, his eyes widening when he saw who it was.

* * *

**Okay, so what did you think? I wasn't feeling the scene with Fugaku when I tried to type it all out... because... idky... just... what did you think? I was also thinking about doing a drabble series with random scenes from the background of this story, like where Sasuke first saw Hinata, or what Kakashi and the random girl were doing... the plane scene when Fugaku and Mikoto just took off for Amegakure, etc... What do you guys think? **


	20. Chapter 20

**KYAA! I love you guys! So I sat and re-read all my reviews, and my heart is totally swelling in utter love for you guys! To think you all took the time to review and say such awesome stuff makes my heart do funny things! So, I am going to try and keep this story alive a bit longer. What I am thinking of doing, is putting the drabble series right in this story so you guys don't have to switch documents etc and you'll get all the updates. The drabbles will be at the beginning or the end of the chapter. As per usual, suggestions via PM or reviews for drabbles or storyline additions are very welcome. I love you all! You guys had wanted to see the showdown, but that was too far out for me to be able to create right now, especially since my family is being so supportive of me… lol… later down I will attempt a drabble for it.**

**Also, this chapter will be moving the story along some, and not sticking in too small a time-frame! Bear with me.**

* * *

**Drabble 1: First Glances – A Flash of White**

_When the wind rushes through your hair_

_It feels like freedom_

_When you roll with the punches and fly_

_It is redemption_

Sasuke sang the song without much conviction or emotion. He just wasn't feeling it. How could he, when Team 7's fan base was dwindling away? It was all his fault. Ever since he'd been put as lead singer over Kakashi, the fans had been slowly leaving. It stood to reason he would wreck this too. He'd wrecked his family, hadn't he? It was hard to sing about freedom and redemption when he was caged by his fear and his pain… locked in his own little world.

He stared out over the sea of black-clothed fans. It was depressing… like his own visit to a funeral every time he came on stage. He felt to put up his microphone and try something else. If only there was something to look forward to each day. He bowed his head over the microphone, his eyes sliding shut as he feigned emotion he didn't… couldn't feel. He opened his eyes again, looking back over the crowd as he sang, and it was then that he saw her.

She was like a pearl amongst a sea of stones. One star in the entire black sky. A patch of light in the blanket of darkness. She was that one fan dressed completely in white. She was beautiful, and she was somehow just what Sasuke needed. She was like an angel. Her wide eyes, he could see them from the stage, were a pale grey, and her hair a dark blue curtain that stopped at her waist. The only splash of colour was the bright red bow on her head.

Sasuke was captivated. She was an angel in the midst of all the black before him, calling his attention. If only he could get her to look at him. He sang the words of the song earnestly, hoping she would look his way. For a moment, she was the only one there with him. For a moment, she was all he saw, and then the song was over, and Naruto was pulling him away. Pulling him away and he was struggling to stay, struggling to see her for just a moment longer. He looked away for one second. For one second, he looked away, and when he looked back, she was gone. He needed to see her again. He needed her to see him.

* * *

**Drabble 2: Airborne Argument**

Fugaku shifted in the plane seat and sent a quick glance to his wife, Mikoto, who occupied the seat next to him. She looked like adrenaline was rushing through her system. She looked like she was moments away from freedom, and she was, in a way. Fugaku just wished it didn't have to be _this_ way.

"Mikoto, are you sure? Are you sure you want to do this? What about Sasuk-"

"Shh!" Mikoto whispered harshly. "I have to do this, okay? I have to!"

"But Mikoto, he is only _seven!" _Fugaku whispered back, just as harshly, glancing around nervously to check and see if anyone overheard them. Mikoto's eyes were flashing.

"Feel free to stay, Fugaku, just know that I am going. They held that position for me for seven years. I was supposed to be there seven years ago. I have lost seven year's time of research! Do you know how much time has been wasted? How far ahead in medical discovery I could have been? I could have been seven years closer to a breakthrough!" Mikoto hissed, her eyes narrowed. This was the side of his wife that had attracted him in the first place, and Fugaku was hard-pressed not to just agree with her.

"Mikoto, we should at least make some sort of arrangements…" Fugaku pressed.

"And let other people know we are leaving? They'll only try to make us stay. The Amegakure Hospital of Medical Research and Development told me I have to get there by Wednesday, which is the day after tomorrow, or they will cancel my invitation. I have to do this," Mikoto returned.

"But Mikoto, he is our son," Fugaku continued, picturing his son's wide, sad obsidian eyes staring up at him. He shuddered.

"Choose, Itachi. Just choose. Me, or him?" Mikoto said softly, resting a hand on his arm. She already knew the answer he would have.

"You, Mikoto, I choose you," Fugaku returned softly, a small smile on his lips. The guilt of leaving Sasuke behind would kill him, but he wanted to die next to Mikoto. It was his fault that Sasuke had even been born. He's been the one that begged her not to abort. He was the one. If not for him, they would not be leaving their seven year old child behind. He shouldn't blame Mikoto… it was his fault, and it always would be.

* * *

**I Wish You Would Look at Me: Chapter 20**

**Previously….**

"You were not a mistake, Sasuke, you were meant to be here, and you are meant to be happy. I don't know how you managed. Why did you not say anything?" Hiruzen placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. It was warm and caring and fatherly and a broken sob burst from Sasuke's lips.

"I was ashamed..." he said softly. He was about to say more when a bang against his glass caught his attention. He turned, his eyes widening when he saw who it was.

* * *

Kisame? What was Itachi's old army buddy doing in Konohagakure? Sasuke wound down the window, and looked up in confusion. The man, reminiscent of a shark, reached in the car with record speed, undid the lock and was yanking Sasuke out of the car with record speed. He slammed Sasuke against the side of the car, with a forearm to the back of his neck.

"Where is he?" Kisame growled.

"What?" Sasuke asked, eyes wide with shock. "Who?" Kisame pressed against him, pushing him harder against the car.

"You father, Sasuke, where is he?" Kisame barked. _'Why is he asking for my dad?'_ Sasuke wondered, his brain scrambling to make sense of it all.

"Uh… Why do you want to know where my dad is?" Sasuke asked, trying to shift in Kisame's impossibly strong grip. His heartbeat started to race.

"You know why!" Kisame growled. He didn't know why.

"Hn. No I don't, and I won't tell you where he is until you tell me why you want him," Sasuke heard himself respond, feeling a bit sick inside at the thought that he was actively protecting his father. His father who'd never protected him. Kisame paused for a moment then pulled away a bit from Sasuke.

"Itachi let slip what your father did, but he won't tell me where to find him," the army vet groused. Sasuke turned and saw the torture within the man's eyes. It was a torture that mirrored what _he_ felt, but with more to it.

"I can't tell you where he is," Sasuke said, understanding suddenly what Kisame had wanted to do… what he had wanted to do for _him. _"But thank you, Hoshigaki," he said, making eye contact with the veteran. Kisame backed up a step and scowled.

"You're protecting him," he spat, a disgusted look crawling into his eyes. Hiruzen chose that moment to come out of the car, ignoring the honks and yells of the annoyed motorists, as well as the curious stares of the numerous onlookers.

"No, son," the old man said, leaning his hands on the top of Sasuke's car. "He's protecting his older brother, he's protecting you… and he's protecting himself," Hiruzen declared, fixing his intelligent stare on the two men. Kisame's gaze flitted to Hiruzen's with grudging respect.

"If you had done what you wanted," Hiruzen continued, "You would be disgraced, and Sasuke would lose his life's work. He would lose his standing with his fans. Also, he would feel guilty, despite himself," the old man said, smiling knowingly at the two men. "And it still would not have brought you satisfaction for being abandoned yourself, Kisame. That's right, I know you." Both Kisame's and Sasuke's eyes widened.

It was as if that moment was a turning point for Sasuke. It came with the startling reality that, firstly, there were other people in a similar situation as he, and two, he could do something, anything, to change the way he felt about things. Hiruzen had told him there that instead of focusing on his own situation, it could be cathartic to try and help others in a similar situation as he, and Sasuke decided to try it. His target was the people, and his method would be music. He'd try his damndest to forget Hinata, at least for now. He wasn't ready to be with her, because his wounds were too raw; too infected.

Sasuke came to this conclusion when he was sitting in the barbershop, getting his hair fixed. It was reminiscent of his old hairstyle, but with much shorter, thinner bangs at the front, and slightly shorter hair at the back. All in all it was less dramatic, but just right if he was looking to change a few things. It suited him, he decided.

* * *

A month later, Team 7 had released yet another album, labeled _Litany of the Unwanted._ It was doing exceptionally well, pushed forward by the hubbub the media was stirring up, as well as the numerous fans that could relate. It was at the top of the musical charts since its release and was all over the radio stations. Sasuke sat on his couch, flipping through a magazine and trying not to think about Hinata, when he heard his own song come over the radio. He heard the raw pain in his own voice, the fear and the certainty as he sang the first verse.

_Pushed away, no not the cold shoulder again_

_I made this art for you, why won't you look at it?_

_'It's nice,' she says, 'it's very nice.'_

_But she didn't look away_

_From the papers on the desk_

_I swear, she loves them more than me_

_I know you know what it feels like_

_To want them to turn and look_

_I know you know I want it so bad_

_I know you know 'cuz you're just like me_

It had taken something out of him to write that scene from his past, but he thought about all the other people in the world that had issues just like he had, and pushed through. He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes from the magazine to listen to the chorus.

_This goes out! To the unwanted people everywhere_

_This goes out! To the ones that are just like me_

_This goes out! To all who know the feeling_

_To have someone you believe in_

_Turn a blind eye over you; they just don't care_

_This goes out!_

The second verse was a bit painful for him too, because he remembered the scene very clearly. He remembered the disappointment, even though he had only been about six at the time.

_Left behind, they're gone and didn't tell you where_

_I made this song for you, why won't you listen to it?_

_'You're wasting time with music, be anything else,'_

_He said and walked away_

_As he takes my brother to the store_

_I swear, he loves him more than he loves me_

_I know you know what it feels like_

_To put metal to your wrists_

_I know you know I put a gun to my head_

_I know you know 'cuz you're just like me_

He leaned his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. He missed Hinata so damn much. He hadn't seen hide or hair of her for two months now.

_This goes out! To the unwanted people everywhere_

_This goes out! To the ones that are just like me_

_This goes out! To all who know the feeling_

_To have someone you believe in_

_Turn a blind eye over you; they just don't care_

_This goes out!_

_But it's time to change the song_

_To show the world that we belong_

_The Unwanted will take the world by storm!_

_Put down your blade, put down your gun_

_A brand new chapter has begun_

_The Unwanted are wanted by each other!_

Sasuke's voice came in without the backup of the music save a drum.

_You know I know what it feels like_

_To shed shame for a little while_

_You know I know how it holds you back_

_You know I know 'cuz I'm just like you_

The musical accompaniment re-entered to back up Sasuke as he continued singing.

_I know you know that this has to change_

_We shouldn't feel this way_

_You know I know we can do this if we try_

_I know you know 'cuz we are the same!_

A group of over one hundred and fifty people had been brought in to sing the chorus _a capella_. The same people had taken part in the Team 7 – _This Goes Out_ video.

_This goes out! To the unwanted people everywhere_

_This goes out! To the ones that are just like me_

_This goes out! To all who know the feeling_

_To have someone you believe in_

_Turn a blind eye over you; they just don't care_

_This goes out!_

Team 7's music blared again as the members came together to sing the chorus one last time.

_This goes out! To the unwanted people everywhere_

_This goes out! To the ones that are just like me_

_This goes out! To all who know the feeling_

_To have someone you believe in_

_Turn a blind eye over you; they just don't care_

_This goes out!_

_This! Goes! Out!_

The song ended in a power-chord, and Sasuke smiled to himself, turning his attention back to the magazine. A knock on the front door interrupted his reading and he sighed.

"Wait a moment! I'm coming," he called, getting up, crossing the room and yanking the door open. His heart stopped, because none other than Uchiha Fugaku was standing at the door. He slammed the door shut with a frantic swipe of his hand and leaned his back against it, breathing heavily. His eyes wide, and his mind reeling, Sasuke was conscious of his heartbeat thundering in his chest, head, neck and pretty much every part of his body. His whole being felt like it was throbbing.

The knock came again, a bit hesitant. Had he really seen his father? Was it really him, or was it someone else and the song triggered a vision? Sasuke ground his teeth together, took a deep breath, and opened the door. His father was real. He wasn't a figment of his imagination. Sasuke stood in the doorway, not sure whether he should speak or not. He wasn't sure if he should let his father in or not. He didn't know if he was happy or angry or sad to see his father standing there in front of him. The two men stood there, just staring at each other for over a minute. Why was he here? How had he found him? The questions where crowding Sasuke's brain, and he couldn't think or speak or move. His father was the one that spoke first.

"I'm sorry," Fugaku said, strongly, clearly, as if he'd practiced saying it, and then Sasuke was in his arms. Sasuke didn't know if he'd moved, or if his father had stepped forward, or if it was a mixture of both, but one moment he was standing with his hand on the doorknob, and the next he was enveloped in his father's arms. It was everything Sasuke had ever dreamed of, and more… but yet, less. Still, he took what he could get, and hesitantly put his arms around his father's still trim waist. "I'm sorry…" Fugaku said again. "I'm sorry. It was all my fault, I am so very sorry. If you'll let me come in… I'll tell you everything… I'll tell you what I…" Fugaku cleared his throat and blinked rapidly, and he could feel the honesty radiating off his father. "I don't know if I can ever make this up to you… I am so, so very sorry, Sasuke."

Sasuke could hardly breathe. He couldn't think, he couldn't speak. He didn't say it was alright, because it wasn't. His heart was thundering in his chest, and he felt as if he'd left his body while still being there. This must be a dream. It was a dream he'd dreamed very often. This couldn't be real. There was no way that this was real. It was impossible. After over a decade, this could not really be happening. He could smell his father's cologne. He could feel his father's warmth on his bare chest, and he could feel his father's hair brushing his cheek. But this had got to be a dream.

Too soon his father was pulling away. Too soon the dream was ending. Too soon Sasuke had to reopen his eyes. Yes, he'd closed his eyes to lose himself in the feeling, but he had not yet said a word. He'd been noticed. He realized for a small moment, that it had not felt quite as wonderful as when Hinata had shown him she'd seen him, but it was close. It was different. He didn't know what it was!

Sasuke felt like he was struck dumb in his father's presence. There was so much he wanted to say, yet he couldn't find any words to express them. His father looked expectantly at him, and after a moment, when he realized Sasuke wasn't going to speak, his face fell.

"I brought… I brought Aoi and Akira to see you…" Fugaku said, his voice raspy. "I thought… you might want to meet them, so… I took them out of daycare…" Sasuke's eyes snapped to his father's face. No. This dream was going too far. His heart was beating too fast, too hard, and Sasuke could feel the whole world going out of focus. He shook his head vehemently. He wasn't ready. What if they hated him? What if… what if they liked Itachi more than him just like everyone did? He was only a musician… Itachi was a soldier. He would never measure up. No. But his father was already trotting down the driveway to the car. He was already opening the door, and Sasuke couldn't move.

This was a nightmare. He was frozen. He was stuck in one position, with his hand gripping the doorjamb so tightly his palm ached. He tried to move his feet, but they were rigid, and Fugaku had two children with him now. They were walking back up the driveway. They were looking at him. Staring. Sasuke couldn't breathe, even though he was gasping for air. He wanted to wake up now! He wanted to be out of this prison that was his body. And then the girl, Akira, broke free from her father's hand. Sasuke watched her running towards him in slow motion, her pink dress dancing with the motion of her short legs as she came towards him, arms outstretched and a large smile on her face.

And then her arms wrapped around his legs and he could breathe again. And suddenly he was sucking in air, and suddenly he could move, and without even knowing it he was on his knees before her. His eyes canvassed her face; her large eyes were bright and black and cheerful. There were no reservations there, no judgements, no disappointment. She was childishly happy to see him. There were no expectations. There was just happiness. Without thinking, he reached for her and pulled her close, and there was not even a moment of hesitation before her arms were around his neck and then she laughed.

"Hello, Nii-san!" she said, grinning up at him. "I saw you on the TV!" she declared, placing her palms on his cheeks. By this time, Fugaku and Aoi had approached.

"D-did you?" Sasuke asked, his face reddening and his voice husky. His eyes were burning and his throat ached. He knew he was struggling not to cry, and felt pathetic. He looked to his brother, Aoi, who was peering out at him from behind his father's leg.

"H-hello," the small boy whispered, clinging to his father's leg, his black eyes wide and curious. Sasuke swallowed, but the lump in his throat refused to move.

"Yes," Akira continued. "You sang a song and… and everybody was jumping!" she said excitedly. Sasuke smiled without really being able to help it. He looked to Aoi, who had taken a step closer, and the boy darted back behind his father's leg. Fugaku was saying something, but Sasuke didn't hear. Aoi peeked back at him. Sasuke felt a smile of amusement push to his lips.

"D-did you see them too, Aoi?" he asked, hoping Aoi would say something. The five year old smiled shyly and nodded.

"Th-they went like this," he stuttered, raising his hands and jumping up and down. Sasuke chuckled. He saw his vision blur, and then he was crying. Like a child. He couldn't stop, no matter how hard he tried, and he felt the shame of it burn his entire being. Then two miniature pairs of arms were around him.

"Nii-san, don't cry! Don't be sad," they chorused, voices high pitched and young.

_Don't cry nii-san_

_Please don't cry_

_I'm sure you can smile_

_If you really try_

Akira sang the little song, her pauses making it obvious to Sasuke that she'd made it up right on the spot, and it actually made him feel better. He opened his eyes and saw Aoi's dark eyes looking back at him. He could see the hesitation in his brother's eyes; the same fear that people would prefer his sibling to him, and Sasuke's heart melted. Aoi was just like him; reserved, shy, and quiet, and having the tendency to feel inferior. Wordlessly, Aoi reached forward and wiped the tears from Sasuke's eyes with small, chubby fingers.

"L-like this, see?" he said, tugging at the corners of Sasuke's mouth until he smiled. And then both Aoi and Akira were smiling, and it was the best day in Sasuke's life. But the day was not over, and the sound of a car pulling up pulled Sasuke's attention from his twin siblings. His heart stopped again, because he recognized the people in the car. One was Inuzuka Kiba, and the other was Hinata.

* * *

**You know, I almost didn't end this chapter with a cliffie… but then I realized that that is totally not my style. I thought you guys deserved a happy-ish chapter this time around, so here is this one! Thank you guys SO much for sticking around. ME LOVE UNNU! *my Jamaican breaking out there* So there was a question I had for you. Do I leave the drabbles in the chapter like this? Do you want them at the end, the beginning, or in a different document altogether? I just realized that that is more than one question….egh! Lol so Please, oh please review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**AAAHH! Freaking Chapter 21! Okay, so… I am going to create a separate story for the drabbles, and will repost Drabble 1 and 2 there. Also, the drabbles may be updated at different times to this story so you should follow *hehehehe (^_^)*. I think I am going to name it Behind the Scenes of a Love Story, because, let's face it, that's what it is! I would advise you guys to follow it also, because some of the drabbles may contain explanations of things that happen in the main story, and I don't want you guys to miss out. Still, to make it easier, I will include the link to the drabbles in the ending A/N for you guys. **

**To those who loved This Goes Out, it was actually inspired by my darling cousin Mandy, who I love with all my heart! I am so happy you guys liked it!**

**AHH! To the Guest who made the super long review! Rljvniomshivy6pvy! Like I can't even….! Freaking OMG I love you! Haha That review was 719 words, I will have you know! Crikey! I love every single person that took the time to comment on my story, and I promise I shall attempt to find delicious little twists and turns for this story for you guys! Once again, I have to thank you all so very much for the reviews, faves, follows and hits because you guys are literally keeping me from sinking into depression sometimes! I am so happy you're affected by my art! I hope I can answer your questions! Without further ado…**

* * *

**Previously…**

But the day was not over, and the sound of a car pulling up pulled Sasuke's attention from his twin siblings. His heart stopped again, because he recognized the people in the car. One was Inuzuka Kiba, and the other was Hinata.

* * *

Everything faded from Sasuke's mind when he looked up and saw Hinata. Even though she was in the car, it was like she was the only one apart from him in the whole world. He did not even feel Akira's insistent tugging on the neck of his shirt. There was only Hinata. Oh _Kami_, this was the first he'd seen of her since the scene in the hotel room, but by the Gods she was more beautiful than he remembered. Her skin never looked softer, her eyes never more grey, her lips never more kissable, her hair never more silky, and he'd never wanted her as much as he wanted her now. His heart stopped beating for two beats and it was like her very presence had reached out and stolen his breath away.

He watched them argue in the car. She wasn't looking at him. She wasn't looking his way, but he could hear little snatches of her voice, which was raised. He could see her dainty hands moving and he could see the distress in her eyes, then Kiba turned, looked at him with an expression of acute frustration and something else Sasuke couldn't name, and then the car was driving off. Sasuke was frozen in time until the car disappeared from his periphery. He sucked in a shaky, uneven breath… his heart thumped heavily in disappointment, and he felt the progress he'd made slide down the proverbial drain.

He wanted her. He wanted her so bad and there was nothing he could do about it… and it wasn't even the sex. He wanted her scent wrapped around him just as tightly as her arms. He wanted her eyes looking into his. He wanted the tiny hairs on her soft skin. He wanted her impossibly long eyelashes. He wanted the little freckle at the centre of her back. He wanted her lips, and her whispery voice. He wanted the little crease at the corner of her eyes when she smiled at him. He wanted to envelope her soft body in his arms. Damn it, he wanted her to look at him!

Sasuke stood, the arms of his newly acquainted siblings falling from his shoulders. He looked down at them with unseeing eyes as he reached into his pocket for his phone and speed-dialled Hiruzen. Sasuke regretted avoiding the wealthy business man who'd kept trying to check up on him, because the man was more of a father than Fugaku ever was or ever would be. In fact, the moment Akira had ran his way, Sasuke had forgotten about his father's existence. The phone rang twice before Hiruzen answered.

"I… I think I might be ready for the session now," Sasuke rasped into the phone, knowing the old man would know what he was talking about.

"Alright, son, anytime you're ready," Hiruzen said softly, and Sasuke could picture the softening of the old man's eyes and the sad smile on his face. Sasuke clenched his teeth before continuing.

"I'll be over in ten minutes tops."

* * *

"What? Why are you looking at me like that for?" Kiba asked, brows furrowed and mouth in a snarl. "It's obvious to all that you want to be with him, so why are you looking at me like that for trying to give you what you want?" Hinata blinked at his tone. What was that all about? He sounded frustrated…. He sounded _jealous._ What was _that_ all about? Slightly confused, Hinata shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Because, Kiba… I'm not ready to see him yet…. He won't want to see me either…" she mumbled. At his indignant gasp, Hinata rushed to defend her statement. "He needed me at Byakugan Hotels… he needed me and I just stood there and let you scare him off… and I didn't go after him!" She turned her head to the passing scenery, utterly disgusted with herself as her mind went back to the scene two months before. "I didn't go after him," she whispered.

* * *

**_Two months earlier…_**

_He was gone. Hinata hated herself a little bit for being relieved, but she was. She just had the unrelenting fear that he would strangle her in her sleep. She heard the door click shut and breathed a sigh of relief. Her body relaxed against the bed, but sleep would not come. It was then that her mind began to reel. There had been a strange disconnection in Sasuke's angry eyes when he'd put his hands to her throat. It had been like he was a different person altogether, and then there was the contradiction… he'd told her repeatedly to get out, but stopped his rampage when she told him she'd stay. She shuddered a little in the bed when she thought about it. She had to face the fact that she was a little scared of him… of what he was capable of. Hinata tossed and turned in the bed, but couldn't relax enough to fall asleep. Her phone vibrated on the bedside table. She reached over and took it up._

_There was a LeafLet contact update from one of her old friends from high school, Inuzuka Kiba. He was now a rather famous animal researcher and trainer, and had a large training school for a wide range of animals and their owners. _

**_InuzuKiba_**_**:**__ Hooray! Finally at Byakugan Hotels Amegakure! \(^_^)/_

_A smile stretched Hinata's lips. She hadn't spoken to Kiba in ages, really. She replied to his status message._

**_HyuugaHina: _**_Beat you there! In the Presidential Suite! (^_^)_

_A response came from Kiba in a matter of seconds via a private message. _

Kiba: 'You are actually at the hotel? My eyes do not deceive me?'

_Hinata grinned and replied,_

Hinata: 'Staying in the Presidential Suite with my boyfriend Uchiha Sasuke.'

_There, she said it! He was her boyfriend, and the thought pleased her, even though she had to admit that right now was definitely a rough patch. There were a few seconds of waiting, and then a reply came._

Kiba: 'I'm coming up to see ya!'

_Hinata immediately began to tell him not to bother, but he signed out. _

_"Damn it," she muttered, scrambling off the bed and turning on the light to the bedroom. Her reflection in the mirror told her that her bruises were still very much visible. Running a mental inventory of all the stuff she'd brought, Hinata knew there wasn't anything she could use to discreetly cover her neck. Hinata agonized over her predicament for a few minutes, then decided to turn the room lights off. She flicked the night lamp on and raked her hair over her shoulders. She wouldn't be able to hide the bruises from someone as keen-eyed as Kiba, anyway, but it couldn't hurt to try. _

_Before she could prepare herself fully, there was a knock on the door. Hinata took her time to move towards the now offensive item and wiped her sweaty palms on her shorts. Here goes. She opened the door, keeping her head ducked a bit, and her nervousness fled when she saw Kiba's familiar face, complete with sharp-canine-d grin and inverted triangle tattoos on his cheek. It was a clan thing, he'd told her once, and it was worn with pride. She grinned. He scooped her into his arms, and then he was in her hotel room, spinning her in a wide circle like he used to do back when they used to hang out. _

_"Hinataaaa-chaann!" he crowed, resting her on her feet. She giggled._

_"It's been ages!" they said, simultaneously, then laughed. _

_"So, a boyfriend now, huh? Huh?" Kiba teased, but there was a bit of strain at the corners of his grin. "Sounds like I have some competition for your undivided A now, huh? You wound me, Hinata," he continued, play-scowled. Hinata laughed, flinging her arms round his waist. "Where is the famous Uchiha Sasuke, anyway?" he asked, looking around._

_"Not even close," she laughed. "He's actually gone out for a while, so you'll get my undivided A, as you call it, for a while until he comes back," she said, giggling. Kiba play-scowled again, and then grinned._

_"Wait," he said, pushing her away from him gently with his hands on her shoulders. He bent to look at her, squinting in the dimness of the room. "Hey, hey now! What is the world coming to? No adorable stutter?" Hinata laughed at his teasing. He continued, "What is this? Who are you and what have you done with my…" His sentence faded into nothingness as his eyes narrowed and smile slipped from his lips. "…Hinata…" he finished absently, but it sounded like he'd gone on to a different thought altogether. Hinata swallowed. Kiba moved away from her to the room light, and flicked it on. Hinata squinted against the sudden brightness, but opened her eyes when she heard the soft stream of curses that spilled from Kiba's lips. _

_"Hinata…" he breathed. Shit. She'd actually forgotten about the bruises. He tipped her chin up so he could get a better look, not moving even when Hinata pushed at his hands and tried to step away. He held her in place with a firm but gentle hand. "Hinata… where did you get these?"_

_"Oh, nothing… I was just playing around with a scarf and-" Hinata started, instinctively trying to protect Sasuke, but Kiba interrupted._

_"You're protecting the bastard that did this to you? There are fingerprints on your neck, Hinata," Kiba said angrily, tenderly brushing her bruised flesh with his fingertips. She flinched. He scowled. Tears welled up in her eyes and she fought to keep them from falling._

_"I… It wasn't his fault," Hinata defended. "S-something happened and… and he lost it… and I was nagging him and he…"_

_"He what? He tried to fucking kill you?" Kiba interjected, his face a mask of anger, but the protective kind; the kind she wasn't afraid of. "This is domestic abuse, Hinata, he could do time for this shit! Did you call the police?" he asked, reaching for his phone._

_"No!" Hinata yelled, grabbing at his hands. "No! No police! I'm…I'm not pressing charges," she sobbed. _

_"Why?" Kiba asked, pausing, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Why are you protecting him? Hinata did not even have to hesitate for her answer._

_"B-because… Because I love him," she said, her eyes begging Kiba to understand. She sniffled, and swiped at the tears streaming down her face. _

_"Kami, Hinata," he whispered, pulling her against his warm chest and rubbing comforting circles on her back. Hinata fisted her hands in his shirt and sobbed, her entire body shaking. She was so confused. She loved Sasuke so much, but… but she was so scared! After a few minutes accepting Kiba's comfort, Hinata pulled away._

_"I… I w-was s-so scared," she admitted, her voice jerking as she hiccupped. "I… I d-didn't know w-what to d-do," she breathed, taking in a shaky breath. Kiba's eyes softened, and his warm, calloused hand came up to gently wipe the tears from her eyes. He tenderly smoothed her hair away from her face and pulled her back into the warm circle of his arms. He pressed a kiss to her temple. _

_"Hey, it's okay… I'm… I'm here now," he said a little awkwardly, but it went a far way with helping Hinata relax. _

_"Oh, I've made you all wet," Hinata groaned, lifting her head. He rested a palm against her cheek and the other on her hip and stared down at her, his eyes warm. "I'll get you one of Sasuke's shirts… you're bigger, but they should still fit…" Hinata rambled, lifting the hem of his shirt._

_"Oh, no," Kiba started, the shirt already to his pectoral muscles. "It's oka-" He was cut off when the door opened and Sasuke burst into the room. Hinata turned in time to see Sasuke's eyes, red-rimmed and wet with tears. They travelled over Kiba and Hinata, who'd frozen, and then a strangled moan spilled from Sasuke's lips. Kiba stepped in between Sasuke and Hinata and growled menacingly at Sasuke, straightening his shoulders almost in challenge._

_"I-I'll just go," Sasuke said, his voice tight with pain so intense it hurt even Hinata. She knew what he thought. He turned on his heel and ran… and Hinata couldn't move._

* * *

Hinata's eyes burned and she gnawed on her lower lip. She stared at the passing scenery and reached a hand blindly to the stereo. She turned the radio on, knowing a Team 7 song would be playing somewhere and she could envelope herself with Sasuke's voice and Sasuke's music. It was fitting, really, that _So Goodbye _was playing on FM 176. He said he was sorry, and he was leaving, and if that wasn't a message to her, she didn't know what was. He said he was leaving.

"Turn the car around," she said to Kiba. He gave her a look. "Just turn the car around," she demanded. Kiba huffed, rolled his eyes, and turned the car around. Hinata faced forward as she watched the familiar scenery as they drew closer to Sasuke's house.

She didn't know what this thing with Kiba could be perceived as, but he was the only person she could hang out with recently, so she had. All of Team 7 had been giving her the silent treatment and had kept her out of the KIS building at her every endeavor to get in. Even Tsunade had refused to let her through. The blonde had told Hinata that Sasuke was tackling larger things now, and didn't want to see her, and it had been true. She's seen all the newspapers about how Sasuke and Team 7 had started a charity and support group for abused, abandoned and bullied kids called The Unwanted Org. His music had changed, too, it seemed. No more angsty songs begging for her attention. As they approached Sasuke's house, Hinata's nervous energy turned to disappointment when she saw Sasuke's car disappearing in the opposite direction and his father and siblings standing in his driveway watching him leave. She was too late.

* * *

Sasuke sat in the darkened room roughly twenty minutes later, the sofa soft against his back, and dug his fingers into his knees. His heart was racing nervously, and his ears felt hot and he felt defensive as all hell. He didn't really want to talk about this, but he never would be ready to face Hinata unless he did, would he? He removed his focus from the pattern on the carpet and chanced a glance at the person in the sofa across from him. He looked down immediately, chewing the inside of his cheek, because Dr. Yamanaka Inoichi was staring right back at him. Yes, he was actually sitting in front of the annoying TV host, Yamanaka Ino's father. Apparently the man was a therapist, but his blue eyes were too intelligent, too focused for Sasuke to feel comfortable.

"What?" Sasuke snapped, looking away from the therapist and clenching his jaw. His knee ached, but his fingers refused to relax.

"I don't know," Dr. Yamanaka returned, his gaze not wavering even for a second. It was like he was trying to get inside Sasuke's mind, and Sasuke didn't like it, even though that was the man's job. "You were the one that came to me…" Dr. Yamanaka continued with a small smile.

"It wasn't my choice," Sasuke growled, tapping his feet nervously on the carpet. He didn't want to relive the incidents…. _Oh Kami, _he didn't want to relive them.

"And yet, you're still here," Dr. Yamanaka muttered loudly enough that Sasuke could hear. Sasuke shot to his feet at that, and he stalked from the room, slamming the door behind him.

_'Fuck that! Fuck therapy! Fuck him!' _Sasuke screamed mentally, trying to ignore the sting behind his eyes. He didn't know why this unnerved him so much, but it just sucked. He didn't want to go to a shrink. He wasn't crazy, was he? _'Fuck this all to hell!'_ he mentally ranted, storming off down the hall and past the receptionist. _'Fucking your chances with Hinata, are you?'_ The thought gave him pause. He halted in his steps when he saw Hiruzen still in the waiting room. He hadn't expected that. He hadn't expected the man to take time from his busy day to wait for him in the waiting room. He couldn't disappoint Hiruzen, could he? He couldn't back out now. Sasuke gritted his teeth, turned, and walked back to Dr. Yamanaka's office.

Dr. Yamanaka showed no expression on his face when Sasuke stormed back into the office and plopped back on the sofa, his eyes squeezed shut. He had to do this. He had to do this.

"I almost killed Hinata… I almost killed h-her," he started, jumping right in. Dr. Yamanaka leaned forward and steepled his fingers. He made a sound in his throat that could mean next to anything and next to nothing. "I… I strangled her… I squeezed her throat and I wouldn't stop and I… I didn't even see her face. It wasn't her face…" Sasuke rambled, clutching the sides of his head in despair and confusion as he forced himself to remember the night.

"Whose face did you see?" Dr. Yamanaka asked softly, so softly Sasuke wondered if he'd imagined it. If he had asked himself the question. Whose face _did _he see? The question stumped him, his head aching when he attempted to remember.

"I… I don't know," Sasuke garbled, his voice thick to his own ears. "I can't remember." There was silence for a few seconds.

"Think about it, Sasuke… whose face did you see?" Dr. Yamanaka pushed gently.

"I don't know… I don't know, I don't know…" Sasuke cried out, tears stinging his eyes. He rocked back and forth on the sofa, stifling the sobs that wanted to come out. He knew whose face he had seen… He knew, but he didn't want to think it… He didn't want to say it out loud.

"**Who was it?!"**Dr. Yamanaka yelled, slapping his palms to the desk and rising to his feet.

"It was my _mother's!_" Sasuke yelled, bursting into tears, his shoulders shaking. "I saw my mother's face, alright… I saw my mother's face… on H-Hi-…." He couldn't say her name. He tried, but he couldn't say the name. "I saw my mother's face…. And I wouldn't stop squeezing… I saw my mother's face…" Sasuke rambled, his eyes tightly shut, his fists clenched. He bit his lip until the metallic taste of his own blood filled his mouth. He'd seen his mother's face on Hinata that night, and he'd almost killed her because of it.

"What made you stop?" Dr. Yamanaka asked quietly, sitting back down and looking as calm as he had earlier. Sasuke grit his teeth, remembering clearly the words that had made him calm down.

"She… she said she wouldn't leave me…" he said quietly, ashamed of his fears and how they had been assuaged.

"Is that why you wanted to kill your mother? Because she left you?" Dr. Yamanaka asked gently, without even a hint of judgment or derision in his voice. Sasuke looked up at him with wide, wet eyes and blinked with the realization. The pain travelled to anger.

"She left me… she left me all alone… when I was _seven!_" he growled. "The bitch left me to fend for myself when I was _seven."_ Sasuke shot to his feet and began to pace. "She left me for a job… a fricking job, and even when I grew up, she didn't try to see me. She had other children, and I am the only one she doesn't love. I'm the only one she left." He tugged at his hair until several of the strands popped free and fell loose in his fisted hands. "I don't understand… was I so bad? Why does she hate me so much? What did I do?" he rambled, hating the confused, frustrated tears that streamed down his face without his command.

"And your father? Did he leave too?" Dr. Yamanaka asked in the pause. Sasuke stopped moving, his eyes wide with shock. "Do you want him dead as well?" The question rocked Sasuke, even as he shook his head no. "What then, is the difference? Why did you want your mother dead and not your father?" Dr. Yamanaka asked quietly, hitting squarely a part of Sasuke that he'd never admitted out loud or to himself before.

"I… I loved her the most…" he said quietly, sitting on the sofa and holding his head. "I loved her the most, and she didn't love me… she left me." Dr. Yamanaka wrote something rapidly on a piece of paper.

"It may be, Sasuke, that seeing your mother after all that time triggered something within you. It's up to you to find out what that is. I think we might have done enough for today, so why don't you go on home and think about it?" Dr. Yamanaka said, giving Sasuke a small smile. Sasuke nodded mutely, his head too full of thoughts to formulate a response, and stood, heading for the door. Dr. Yamanaka had one last thing to say. "Very good job, Sasuke."

* * *

**Okay… you guys always complain about my evil cliffies… does this count as one? Or…. Not? Yeah, so not a very lighthearted chapter, but I hoped that it makes sense to you guys. I am exhausted and have not read over this at all….. haha so please don't kill me! Please let me know what you think! You all know I love reviews, hehe! But seriously, you guys make my day better… especially those who take the time to crank out impressive lengthy reviews! So… review away, my lovelies! **

**As promised, the drabble link: s/8956978/1/Behind-The-Scenes-of-a-Love-Story-A-Drabble-Series**


	22. Chapter 22

**Banzai! Hello again, people. So some of you are having issues with Hinata... may I remind you that this is not a fairy tale. Give the girl a chance ey? (^_^)... Also people wanna have an idea how many chapters this story has left... and I am thinking anywhere between three and eight so it should have either 25 or 30 chapters in total. It depends. If at 30 chapters you guys still want more, I am sure I am resourceful enough to come up with more twists and turns for your reading pleasure. With that said, thank you again for the lovely reviews, follows, and faves! You guys are the best and Mi Luv Yuh! *Jamaican coming out again... now look what you did... haha***

**This chapter is dedicated to Shiorrachan... my sweet CUZZEH!**

* * *

Sasuke was in the therapist's office again. He'd been going for several weeks now, and things were a lot clearer in his mind now. He hadn't seen Hinata since that time she appeared at his gate, but sometimes at the KIS he was sure he could hear her voice... but it was never her.

"I think..." he began, staring at a spot on the roof. "I think... that my dad was not the one to instigate their leaving... and I feel... I feel that maybe I've known it all along." He sighed, thankful that Dr. Yamanaka was just listening. He rubbed the toe of his boots in the carpet. "I just... she was always so detached, and he just... it was like... I can't explain it." He sent a hasty glance in the direction of the therapist.

"I listened to your music," Dr. Yamanaka started. Sasuke's gaze shot to his, his eyes wide. He had not seen that coming.

"Y-you did?" he asked, not knowing why he hadn't expected this at all.

"What," Dr. Yamanaka scoffed, his eyes warm and playful. "Just because I'm a therapist means I can't enjoy good music?" he teased. Sasuke looked away quickly, suddenly unsure of what to do with himself.

"I noticed in Mariposa... that you referred to yourself as poisonous..." Dr. Yamanaka continued. "Why is that?" Sasuke swallowed. The rush of feelings he'd been feeling when he created the song hit him with full force. Dr. Yamanaka took a remote from his desk, pressed a button, and the song filled the bright, cheerfully coloured office. The brightness annoyed Sasuke, but Dr. Yamanaka had refused to turn the lights down.

"Off... Turn it off," Sasuke mumbled, holding his head. "I don't want to remember..."

_Won't you stop at the poisonous flower?_

_Don't you pass me by _

_Won't you think of the poisonous flower?_

_So that both of us can die..._

_Butterfly_

"Please turn it off," Sasuke begged. Dr. Yamanaka frowned and turned it off.

"Tell me what it makes you feel, Sasuke," he said softly, getting up and coming round to sit next to Sasuke on the sofa. Sasuke clenched his teeth, telling himself he would not cry again.

"They always looked happy in the photos before I was born," he whimpered finally, hanging his head. "'Tachi-kun said... said they used to have so much fun..." he continued, swallowing against the thickness in his throat. "I saw the picture... of my mom holding me when I was born..." He looked up at the therapist and blinked rapidly, tears escaping against his will.

"Take your time," Dr. Yamanaka said, placing a hand on Sasuke's back. "Take your time."

"She wasn't smiling," Sasuke burst out after a moment. He took a deep breath and held his face as the sobs burst from his chest. "She didn't look happy to see me. She didn't want me at all," he went on, not even knowing if the therapist could decipher his garbled words.

"You have to know, Sasuke, that this could not have been your fault in any way," Dr. Yamanaka said softly, gently gripping Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke looked up and scowled.

"It _is_ my fault," Sasuke snapped. "If not for me, then-"

"Sasuke, how is it that you could have caused that condom to burst?" Dr. Yamanaka asked bluntly. "Unless you are a time-traveller, I fail to see how you could have caused any of this." Sasuke blinked dumbly for a second, not able to come up with a response. He frowned.

"You see, you may _feel_ that it is your fault, when in truth and in fact, it could not possibly have been. It's never the child's fault to whom they are born, Sasuke," the therapist continued slowly, and in a way that made Sasuke feel that he could interject any time he wanted to. Sasuke sat and listened. This man didn't know him, so therefore couldn't be biased. And for a small moment, he felt a little better.

"Always remember, Sasuke, it is never the fault of the child." Sasuke nodded, looking up at Dr. Yamanaka, and just a little scared to believe him. "Repeat after me, Sasuke," Dr. Yamanaka continued, his blue eyes warm and honest.

"It is never the fault of the child," Dr. Yamanaka said after a pause, looking steadily on Sasuke.

"It ... It is never... the fault.. of the... of the child.." Sasuke said, feeling a little stupid. He wasn't some kid.

"It is never the fault of the child." Dr. Yamanaka said, his voice firm and direct.

"It... It is never the fault... of the child," Sasuke said a little more confidently, his throat burning.

"It is never the fault of the child," Dr. Yamanaka repeated, his kind gaze still locked with Sasuke's. Sasuke felt his throat closing up and his vision went blurry. He hadn't even noticed he was sitting on his hands until he had to remove one from under his thigh to wipe at his eyes.

"It is never... the fault of the child," he said, pushing through his closing throat. "It is never the fault of the child. It is never the fault of the child. It is never the fault of the child," he repeated over and over, sobbing openly and not caring this time. Dr. Yamanaka wordlessly nudged his shoulder, and Sasuke turned and took the offered Kleenex. He couldn't bring himself to look at the therapist.

"Look at me," Dr. Yamanaka said softly. Sasuke shook his head no. He felt like a child. Pathetic. Dr. Yamanaka exhaled and got up. Sasuke heard him shuffling around at the desk, and watched as his wingtip clad feet made their way back over to the sofa. It sank a little under his weight. Something nudged his shoulder.

Sasuke braved a glance only shoulder high. When his eyes met Dr. Yamanaka's blue ones – the therapist had bent himself so that his eyes were on the level of Sasuke's shoulder – he had to struggle not to smile.

"You're such an idiot," he muttered, turning his face away. Something nudged his shoulder again. "Give it up, I'm not going to look at you."

_The Eensy Weensy Spider climbed up the water spout_

A smile tugged at the corners of Sasuke's mouth. "You can't sing for shit, Dr. Yamanaka..." he growled, squelching it.

_Down came the rain and washed the spider out_

"You should seriously stop singing," Sasuke said again, clenching his teeth to stop the grin that was pushing its way forward.

_Out came the sun and dried up all the rain_

"You're going to do this until I look aren't you," Sasuke muttered, cringing at the therapist's massacre of the song's notes. He turned, head held down, but eyes looking up at the therapist.

_And the Eensy Weensy Spider climbed up the spout again_

Sasuke sputtered a bit, scowled and then laughed... because Dr. Yamanaka sung the last line rather well... which meant the hack job he'd done of the song before was intentional. Dr. Yamanaka grinned and then nudged Sasuke's shoulder with the edge of a notepad.

"Do what you do best," he said, smiling. Sasuke's grin slipped a bit when he eyed the paper. He was supposed to express himself now, wasn't he?

"No." At his flat response, Dr. Yamanaka deadpanned and then gave a stupid grin.

"What, do you want me to start singing again?" he asked, wiggling his brows.

_Rockabye baby, on the tree top..._

Dr. Yamanaka started, rocking side to side on the sofa and bouncing Sasuke's shoulder repeatedly with his own. He wiggled the notepad in the air as if to say, 'I know this is annoying and all you have to do to make me stop is take the notepad'.

_When the wind blows, the cradle with rock_

Sasuke scowled and snatched the notepad from the therapist's hand. He noticed in passing that he didn't feel so down anymore.

* * *

"Can I taste it now?" Sasuke turned to his little sister, who was eyeing the batter in the bowl in front of him with undisguised interest. Sasuke looked down at his sorry excuse for cookie mix.

"Aahh..." he stalled, not knowing if it was even edible. Fugaku had dropped Aoi and Akira off at his house, even though he had told Mikoto they were at daycare. He'd been doing this for the past two weeks, and even though Sasuke couldn't bring himself to speak to or smile at his father, he enjoyed the time with his siblings. They didn't seem to care about anything apart from having a good time with him, and it was refreshing.

"Please?" Aoi asked from his other side, dark eyes large and pleading, and Sasuke was a total goner. There was no way he could refuse his little brother anything. Sasuke moved his hands away from the bowl and raised an eyebrow.

"Okay you can-" Their hands were inside the bowl before he could finish. "Taste.." he finished lamely, since their hands had already made it the short distance to their mouths. "So... how is it?" he asked, eying them and the batter suspiciously.

"Ewww, Sasuke! It's horr.. horrib.." Akira's face scrunched up as she tried to remember the big word. Sasuke already figured she meant horrible. He turned to Aoi.

"It's not so bad..." the little boy said quietly, smiling encouragingly and sticking his hand back into the bowl. "It's salty... and crunchy..." he said softly, crunching on what Sasuke could only assume was a bit of eggshell. Sasuke facepalmed, leaving a floury white handprint on his face.

The twins began giggling, which in turn made Sasuke grin. Sasuke had originally thought it was really sweet of Aoi to pretend to like the batter in the bowl for his sake, but as he grabbed Akira into his arms and began tickling her, Sasuke's gaze swept over to his little brother. And he deadpanned... because Aoi was still sneaking his hand into the bowl and eating out the batter. The little boy really _did_ like it.

Sasuke set a giggling Akira back down on the counter and sent a knowing look in Aoi's direction. The little boy promptly blushed and looked away guiltily, and Sasuke thought it was so cute he could forgive him anything. He just hoped Aoi didn't get sick from the eggs.

"So, Akira... what am I supposed to do now?" he asked. The batter – it was not firm enough to really be called dough – was slumped in the bowl and Sasuke scowled at it. He reached out a hand and ruffled Aoi's dark hair. His heart squeezed at the way the little boy seemed to soak up the attention, so he smiled at him. Aoi gave him a small smile back and reached up to hold Sasuke's hand to his head with small hands. Sasuke felt his eyes misting, so he blinked and turned back to Akira, who seemed to be contemplating what exactly to do with the cookie batter mix thing.

"Umm... you're supposed to bake it now..." she said, blinking up at him. Sasuke blinked back.

"Aahh... just like that?" he asked back, frowning slightly.

"No," Aoi piped up over a mouthful of batter. "You have to make the shapes," he said seriously, still holding Sasuke's hand to his head and blinking up at him with large eyes. He was so damn cute. Sasuke moved the batter out of Aoi's reach with his free hand and forced himself not to give in to the pleading look in his little brother's eyes.

"Snow!" Akira said randomly throwing up a handful of flour. She giggled. "Nii-san! Nii-san! I made snow!" she squealed excitedly, tossing another handful of flour into the air. The particles wafted down, covering the floor of the kitchen, the counter, and both Aoi and Sasuke in a fine coating of white. Sasuke blinked at her for a second before grinning and tossing flour back at her.

A tug on his hand brought his attention back up to Aoi, who was eyeing the bag of flour longingly. His obsidian eyes turned back to Sasuke in full force, silently begging permission to throw flour too. Sasuke pushed the bag closer to him and grinned. Aoi gingerly sneaked his hand into the bag and withdrew it with a miniature fistful of flour. He tossed it at Akira, and then giggled.

Roughly half hour later, the cookies were in the oven and Sasuke was ushering the twins to the bathroom. The two of them, and the kitchen, were royal messes. Flour was everywhere, Aoi had managed to break an egg on Akira's head, and Akira had gotten probably a quarter of the remaining cookie batter down the back of Aoi's shirt... and the two of them had finished the flour on Sasuke. Still, the Uchiha trio had wide smiles on their faces as Sasuke ushered them into the bathroom.

He had a sinking feeling that the bathroom would be getting more washing than the twins would, and it would be another royal mess, and he was right. It took half hour to finish bathing them, and by then he had been kneeling in about a centimetre of water and had been soaking wet himself, with soap in his hair and down his back, and the cookies had burned to little black discs. Still, he managed to get the twins dried and clothed and gave them sandwiches to eat, and set them on his bed to get a nap.

Sasuke deadpanned when he saw the state of the kitchen. It was even worse of a mess than he had remembered! The two tiny human beings in his room had made such a large mess it was almost funny. In fact, Sasuke found himself grinning. He'd had more fun with those two than he'd had in a while. He had just started putting the dishes and cooking paraphernalia into the sink when a car pulled into the driveway. Then the doorbell rang.

Sasuke moved to the door, not caring about how he looked. He opened it to see his father. Fugaku's eyes widened as he took in Sasuke's appearance, and then a knowing grin stretched his lips. He didn't say anything, knowing Sasuke wouldn't respond, and simply waited for his son to step aside and allow him to go in the house. Sasuke shut the door behind him and walked back to the kitchen. To his surprise, Fugaku followed him and wordlessly began to help him. Sasuke grudgingly admitted deep down inside himself that it felt nice to be there with his dad... but he admitted it really deep down.

_A silent whisper of a time gone by_

_You're synthesized by new direction_

Sasuke's head shot up at the sound of his own voice. It was coming from Fugaku's pocket. Sasuke watched with wide eyes, his hands stilled in the sink and the tap running forgotten, as his father answered his phone, cutting off the song.

_'He has my song as his ring-tone?' _Sasuke thought, his mind reeling.

"Hello?" Fugaku answered the phone. "Yes, dear, I am picking them up now." He paused and then began wiping the counter as he listened to the person on the other end. "The traffic is terrible, so I may be a while," he continued. Sasuke was still watching him, blinking dumbly, the water from the tap running over his hands.

"Yes, no problem. I can just swing by the grocery on my way back," Fugaku continued, still wiping the counter clean. "Alright. Later, then." He hung the phone up and slid it back into his pocket.

Sasuke slowly turned back to the dishes. Most likely his father had his song as a ringtone to impress him, right? To make him think he cared, or something, right? Even as he was thinking those thoughts, a tiny smile pushed its way to his lips. His dad had his song as his ringtone... and that pleased him.

Roughly twenty minutes later, Sasuke was buckling a still sleeping Aoi into his car seat in Fugaku's luxury car. On the other side of the car, Fugaku was buckling in Akira. Sasuke gently raked Aoi's hair from his face and pressed his nose to his little brother's round cheek. He stepped back and locked the door and sent his father a look over the top of the car. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away from his father's searching black gaze.

"So... next week, right?" he asked quietly, not meeting his father's gaze. He looked up in time to see the pleased surprise in his father's eyes before Fugaku blinked rapidly and cleared his throat.

"N-next week," Fugaku returned with a lopsided smile. "And Sasuke..." he said as Sasuke turned to go back to the house. Sasuke stopped and tilted his head to the side.

"I really am sorry," Fugaku said softly.

* * *

Sasuke slouched in his seat, eyeing the purple-haired woman across the Boardroom table from him. She sent him a sultry smile and then turned to Tsunade, who was at the head of the table.

"Welcome, Konan, Pein," the buxom blonde was saying, smiling at Konan and her heavily pierced manager/boyfriend, Pein. The duo nodded, but only Konan smiled. Konan was supposed to sing the refrain in Team 7's newest song, _Come to Me,_ which Sasuke had written as part of his therapy exercises. It had been the first time that Sasuke had shown any of his songs to someone other than Team 7 before its release. It was the first time he'd shown anyone his lyrics _before _he'd shown his band-mates. Dr. Yamanaka had loved it, and not only because it was expressive. When he had shown it to his band-mates, Kakashi had come up with the idea that it was time to have other artists join them on the stage or on record, and the band leader had thought of Konan immediately.

As one of the more popular female artists, Kakashi thought it might do the band image well to have her. Konan and Pein had been very receptive to the idea, especially when they saw the lyrics to the song.

"We have one primary condition," Pein said solemnly halfway through the meeting. "Konan has to be in the video." The eyebrows of the entire Team 7 team rose. As if they would argue with that! Sakura's phone buzzed and she glanced down and sent a rapid text before getting to her feet and excusing herself from the Boardroom. Sasuke, silent for the majority of the meeting watched her go without comment. When Naruto excused himself as well, Sasuke's interest was officially peaked.

He stayed put, however, and listened to Tsunade and Pein go over the details of the contracts to be signed for the song. Loud voices from the elevator caught his attention. He recognized Naruto's, and Sakura's... and there was another very familiar voice. _Hinata?_

Sasuke shot to his feet and stumbled for the door, his mind whirring. Hinata was here? She was here? He had to see her! He ran for the elevator door, his eyes meeting Sakura's green ones as she shoved someone into the elevator and the doors slid shut.

"Who was that?" Sasuke asked as he screeched to a halt by the elevator door. Sakura didn't meet his eyes.

"Just a crazed fan that keeps coming around... she was getting annoying," Sakura spat, waving her hand dismissively. Sasuke frowned and ran for the stairs. He couldn't shake the feeling that it had been Hinata, but why would Sakura lie to him about that? He took the stairs three at a time, going all the way down to the KIS lobby. Scanning the various people milling about, Sasuke felt disappointment welling up in his gut. She wasn't there. Spotting one of the guards at the door, Sasuke ran over to him.

"Uchiha-sama," the guard said politely, smiling a little uncomfortably at the look on Sasuke's face.

"Did you see a girl... this high... big grey eyes and a nice rack... dark blue hair... did you see anyone like that here?" Sasuke panted, still scanning the area desperately.

"N-no, sir," the guard replied uneasily. "I can keep an eye out, if you wish." Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and gave a mirthless chuckle.

"Never mind," he said tiredly, trudging to the elevator. It must have been his imagination. It must just be a side effect of his longing to see her... just his mind playing tricks on him. Sasuke hardly concentrated on the meeting after that. He sat, but he didn't hear a thing. He wanted so badly to go look for Hinata... talk to her, maybe, but he didn't have the right. He was the one that had broken up with her, after all.

* * *

Hinata swiped the tears from her eyes and scowled. She was sick of this. Every time she went to the KIS building, Naruto and Sakura managed to block her in some way. She didn't care if Sasuke didn't want to talk to her! She needed to talk to him! She was going crazy without him, and if it was even to apologise, she had to do something! She'd made a mistake she'd sorely regretted by not running after him, because she had been scared, but without Sasuke, she felt like nothing. Like she was stuck in limbo. She hadn't been eating as much as she should have been since that night.

_'I don't deserve him. I don't know what he even saw in me,'_ Hinata moaned mentally as she left the KIS building. The guard at the door had given her a scathing look as she'd left, and though he hadn't blocked her entry, Hinata had a sinking feeling that he alerted Sakura and Naruto every time she came.

Hinata walked over to her car, and leaned against it. She was going to see Sasuke tonight, damn it. She had to; else she didn't know what she was going to do with herself. As she started her car, Hinata tried to think about what she'd done since Sasuke had left. Or rather, since she'd let him leave. Apart from the time she spent with Kiba in the first couple of months, the rest was a grey blur. She couldn't even remember what they had spoken about. Sure, he'd made her laugh some of the time, but even he was annoyed with her now. And why not? She's been pretty useless all along.

Hinata rested her head on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. She should have been further along than this! She should have been better than this by now! Hinata swiped her face with her hands.

"Alright, Hinata," she whispered to herself. "You are pretty much all alone right now. You are pretty much useless by yourself. So, here is what you are going to do. You are going to make Uchiha Sasuke see you if it is the last thing you do," she said firmly to herself, not even feeling silly for talking aloud to herself in her car. She started the car and drove home. She was not quite sure what she was going to do, but it needed to be drastic.

Once home, Hinata showered, changed and sat on her bed with her phone. She hadn't called him. He hadn't called her. She should have called. She was going to call. She looked at the clock. He wouldn't be home yet, and she didn't want him to be distracted when she called. She didn't want Sakura or Naruto near him while she tried to talk to him. Hinata sat cross-legged on her bed and eyed the phone and the clock alternately. It was as if time was standing still. Damn... she couldn't wait. She wanted to see him _now._

* * *

"If I could be anywhere... I would be in Wave Country with Genma," Sakura said, grinning and wiggling her brows. It had been someone's bright idea to play "If I Could" and so Team 7 along with Pein and Konan were all gathered around one of the tables at Breath of Fire, a popular restaurant, after eating lunch.

"Hello, everyone. It's a pleasure to see you all here," a familiar voice said, interrupting the racy comments everyone except Sasuke had directed Sakura's way after her If I Could answer. Sasuke turned, surprised to see Sarutobi Hiruzen approaching the table. He facepalmed mentally. Duh. The Breath of Fire restaurant was, indeed, owned by the Sarutobi, after all.

"How is everyone?" Hiruzen asked in reply to the greetings. He gave them a wide smile. Everyone chorused that they were good, and the business mogul took a seat at the table at Kakashi's invitation.

"So, Jii-san," Naruto piped up, grinning widely at Hiruzen. It was no secret that the two went way back. "Will you play If I Could with us?" he asked cheekily. Hiruzen chuckled.

"I don't see why not," he replied. "What's the category?" Konan smiled politely and told him that the category was 'Be Anywhere'.

"Why don't you take your turn now, Sarutobi-san," Kakashi asked the old man. Hiruzen grinned and nodded.

"If I could be anywhere, it would be... hmm... It would be on a beach with my lovely wife and no one else," Hiruzen replied, chuckling. Sasuke smiled, even though he dreaded his turn. He already knew what he wanted. He leaned back in his chair and allowed his mind to wander. He wanted to be with Hinata. He wanted to be in her arms with no one else there to interrupt them... he wanted to hear her voice... he wanted her to want him and-

"Sasuke... Saskue!" Sakura was yelling. Sasuke blinked away his thoughts and looked up at her. "It's your turn." Sasuke blinked, thought about responding, and then suddenly couldn't get out of the booth fast enough.

"I don't have time for this shit. I have music to make," Sasuke muttered darkly, feeling his mood sour considerably. He pushed his way out of the booth and stormed out of the restaurant, feeling pressure building up in his chest. He heard Naruto and Sakura calling his name as he left, but he ignored them. He burst into the open air outside and stalked off in the direction of his car, glad that he'd decided to drive instead of go in the bus with the others.

As he reached down to open the car door, a hand clasped around his wrist. He turned slightly, already knowing it was Hiruzen.

"You didn't answer the question," the Sarutobi said softly, but firmly. "If you could be anywhere, where would you be?" Sasuke clenched his teeth, turning to face Hiruzen.

"You know," he stated quietly, not meeting Hiruzen's eyes.

"You have to admit it out loud, Sasuke," Hiruzen returned. "You have to just come out and say it." Hiruzen released Sasuke's wrist and stood in front of him, waiting. Sasuke didn't respond. He clenched his teeth, knowing if he said it, he'd probably do something wuss worthy like cry or some shit. Hiruzen stood there for a moment before he sighed and turned.

"I thought you'd have more determination than that," Hiruzen said softly... disappointedly. It was the disappointment that did Sasuke in, and before he knew it, he hand was clasped over Hiruzen's shoulder.

"I... I want..." he began, choking over the words that threatened to tumble from his lips. "I... I want Hinata. I want to be with her, I..." the words stuck in his throat, and Sasuke scowled in frustration at the heat behind his eyes. He would not cry like a stupid girl, damn it.

"I'll see what I can do," Hiruzen said softly, walking back towards the restaurant. The old man stopped, turned and faced Sasuke again. "Don't let anyone take you for granted, son," he said before turning back around and sticking his pipe in his mouth.

Sasuke stood numbly for a few moments, clenching and unclenching his fists. Wasn't he supposed to feel better after he admitted he wanted Hinata? So why did he feel even lousier? Why did he feel like his chest was being crushed. He couldn't go back to her. She was with another guy, right? Wasn't she? He couldn't get her back after leaving, could he? He couldn't dare even try. Sasuke got into his car, leaned his head back, and groaned.

He needed to go to the gym, because right now, he needed to punch the shit out of something, and it would not be good for that to be a person.

* * *

Sasuke downed his third martini for the night and forced himself to try to concentrate on the group.

"Sasuke, Sasuke," Sakura was saying, her loud voice grating on his nerves for some reason. He raised a brow and gave her an impatient glance. "Sing the new song so we can see how Konan-chan's part will go," Sakura demanded. Sasuke stared at her blankly, then his gaze slid over Konan, Pein, Naruto, Kakashi and Sai. They were all staring at him expectantly, anticipative smiles on their faces. Sasuke didn't feel like singing, but whatever.

He was just about to start when heavy metal soundtrack began blaring from his pocket. Sasuke held up a hand and turned his back to the others.

"Hello?" he said into the phone as he answered.

"Sasuke?" a breathy voice said on the other end of the line. A breathy voice that needed no introduction. "Sasuke... please don't hang up. It's... It's Hinata."

* * *

**Aha! So yes, things are moving along. I realize that the therapy scene in the last chapter was a bit off the mark, so if you guys would like me to rewrite it, I can. You will just have to let me know. And yes, I know, another cliffie... but it just seemed so right... haha! I am trying to get this story to 100k words, so wish me luck! Also, the song, ****_Come to Me_**** ft Konan will be in the next chapter! Review, my dear readers!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chaaaa! I am here again! Sorry to take so long, but my new fic ****_Never Turn Your Back_****, as some of you may already know, is taking up a lot of my time! Not to worry though, since this story only has a couple chapters left until completion, so I'll try to get those to you as soon as the inspiration hits! I meant to update much sooner, but I lost my thumbdrive with all my stories on it, so... *dissolves in a heap of tears* **

**Okay, the subject of my songs rises to the top again... haha! I can assure you, lovely readers, that these songs are my creations, from my head, for the specific purpose of this story. I almost wish they were real songs so you could give them a listen, but alas, I am merely a songwriter and not a composer...And now, Onward to GLORY!**

* * *

Sasuke felt his heart stop.

Then his breathing stopped.

His whole body froze into an unresponsive lump of wood.

_Hinata?_

Sasuke removed the phone from his ear and stared at it like it was an extra-terrestrial object. He would not have been surprised if it was! His heart gave an uncertain thump. What the hell was he supposed to do now? What was he supposed to say?

"Hey, Sasuke, you alright?" Naruto asked, one blonde eyebrow rising in concern. Sasuke did not know if or how he responded, but Naruto reached over and plucked the phone from Sasuke's fingers.

"Hello?" the blonde asked loudly in the phone. "Hello? What?" the blonde continued. A strangely acid expression marked the bassist's face for a moment, then he continued speaking. "I think you've reached the wrong number," Naruto said, hanging up and squeezing Sasuke's phone tightly in his fist. Sasuke blinked before the realization of what just happened hit him like the proverbial ton of bricks.

Suddenly, an influx of thoughts crowded his brain all at once.

Hinata had called! She'd actually called. Naruto, the ever effervescent bassist, had hung up on her, pretending that it was a wrong number. Sakura was currently glowering at Naruto and calling him an idiot in hushed tones. Earlier, when Sasuke had been _sure_ he'd heard Hinata's voice, Sakura had told him it was an annoying fan. Team 7 wasn't known for turning away fans.

Then it hit him.

Were his band-mates turning Hinata away in some misguided attempt to protect him? Was that a factor in why he hadn't heard from her sooner? Had she been _trying_ to contact him from before? _He_ was the one that had left, but... but he'd still hoped that somehow, she would call or drop by, regardless of how terribly awkward the situation would have been.

His phone began ringing again, and Sasuke barely had time to recognize Hinata's number before Naruto blocked the call. Sasuke felt his muscles begin to tremble. She was actually calling. She was calling _him_!

Sasuke probably should have simply taken his phone from Naruto, but his stunned mind was not working as swiftly as usual at that particular moment.

* * *

Hinata fought the rush of tears that came to her eyes. He didn't want to talk to her. She'd tried to be brave, even after the first time when he'd given the phone to Naruto, who'd pretended she had dialled the wrong number and hung up on her. Still, she'd decided to grow some proverbial balls and keep calling.

However, a girl could only take so much rejection. She realized she had been an idiot for not running after him, a fool for not calling him earlier, and an ultimate dolt for not trying harder to reach out to him, but she had almost felt back then that she'd caused him pain. Seriously, if she had not been with him in the first place, he would not have gone to Byakugan Hotels, and he would have been fine. Perfectly fine, right? So maybe it was a good thing that he'd run, and she'd been too weak to follow.

Someone like her didn't deserve someone like him. All the men from her past were right; she was boring, and a leaden weight, and useless. She had nothing special about her, nothing of worth or value, and she really would only have held Sasuke back. So, why then was she so selfish that she didn't want to let him go? Hinata forced herself to face the fact that she was nothing like, nor would ever be, anything like her little sister Hanabi, who was already heading towards a managerial position at her father's company, even though still in high school. Hinata, on the other hand, couldn't even handle a secretarial job because it was too hard for her to talk to people without making an utter muddle of it. Even though she was good at designing clothes, she never could bring herself to tell even Sasuke about her talent, much less actually show people her designs. What if they hated them?

Hinata realized that telling people her parents were dead and pretending she was an only child was her own selfish little way of pretending she didn't always comparing herself to her much more popular, personality-filled sibling. She was sick. Sick inside. It was true that her parents had both been killed in a car accident, but she was by no means an only child. Hinata felt a shudder go through her. No. She would try again.

She picked up her phone with trembling hands, and dialled Sasuke's number for the twenty-first time that night. It rang twice, and then the voice-mail came on. Her lower lip pouting in a rare streak of stubbornness, she called the number again. And again. And again. All with the same result.

It was concluded.

Sasuke was officially ignoring her. As if the mere act of calling him was exhausting, Hinata felt herself crumple to her bed, and before she knew it, she was bawling. She almost didn't hear the knock on the door. Almost.

She stumbled to her feet, swiping at her eyes and sniffing loudly. Trying to compose herself by sheer force of will, Hinata trudged to the door and opened it, her head staring down. It almost occurred to her that she recognized the shoes of the person at the door when-

"Hinata." She looked up. Sasuke. Sasuke was here. Her heart stopped.

Sasuke was unsure whether he was to be insulted that at the mere sight of him, Hinata's face crumpled and she began bawling. Maybe he should not have come. He'd left his phone with Naruto and had blindly driven over, half-afraid that she would not even be home... but she was. And now she was crying.

"Maybe I should not have c..." His words were cut short when she bolted from the doorway, arms outstretched, and slammed into his chest. Sasuke blinked dumbly for two seconds before numbly wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm sorry!" she blubbered. "I'm sorry I didn't run after you! I'm sorry I let you go," she sobbed into his chest, her tiny hands fisting in his shirt. Sasuke's heart gave an uncomfortable thump. Was she really...? Was she really _apologising?_

"It's... it's okay," he muttered, sinking his face into her hair. Or he would have had she not pushed him away from her with unexpectedly strong hands.

"No!" she said firmly, sniffing before beginning to sob again. "No, it's not okay! I was stupid and afraid and weak and a real _dolt_ for not running after you as fast as my legs could carry me! I'm sorry I hurt you and let you think that me and Kiba were involved when we _weren't..._because I had been crying... and... and I made his shirt wet... and I was..." She hiccupped. "... and I was going to lend him one of yours... until you came back... and then you did... and you thought..."

Sasuke kissed her.

He didn't care that her face was wet with tears. Or that her nose was running. Or that she was still trying to explain. He just kissed her.

It was a stupid, sappy, totally un-Sasuke notion, but his lips remembered hers. They remembered that softness... that taste... that _feel_ that he'd dreamt about for months before he'd actually gotten to experience. It was the feeling he'd missed so much these past two months without her. It was the feeling that had haunted his dreams when she'd been gone. It was one of the missing pieces to the puzzle of his life and... and when she began kissing him back, Sasuke's train of thought officially derailed.

She'd stopped crying.

Sasuke clutched her to him, and refused to let her go. Well, if she was trying _at all_ to move away from him, he would have refused to let her go... but as it turned out, she... well... she was clinging to him too, and funny enough, _that_ was all Sasuke needed to make the pain of the past two months seep out of his battered heart. _This_ was what he'd missed about her. The way she clung to him made him feel like... made him feel the way he wanted to feel for the rest of his life.

Sasuke knew in the instant her mouth left his as their kiss broke, that if she ever took him back... he was going to be one clingy, jealous bastard of a boyfriend, because there was _no way he was breaking up with her again._ There was only one hurdle he had left to vault.

He had to actually get her back.

* * *

Two hours later, Sasuke was faced with how tricky a task that would actually be. Hinata seemed dead set against being his girlfriend again... but not because she didn't want to be. She seemed to have the cockeyed notion that she needed to earn his love... which was silly because she already had it. Still, Sasuke was faced with her desire for him to 'punish' her for what she had done to him.

Hinata was kneeling at one side of the couch, facing Sasuke who was sitting cross-legged on the other. After they had gone through and told both their sides to the Byakugan debacle, Sasuke was feeling a little silly... and a lot better. Apparently, Hinata had not been unfaithful to him... apparently she had only been seeking consolation for her traumatic experience, but hadn't actually moved on from him. It was also brought out into the open that _he_ had been the only one that didn't try to contact the other party, because she had indeed tried, but had been blocked at every attempt by Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and sometimes even Tsunade. After what had happened earlier with Naruto and his phone, Sasuke was not hard-pressed to believe her; he had seen it with his own eyes.

She had gone on to express her belief that she was utterly worthless, much to Sasuke's dismay because he knew how it felt to have little to no notion of self-worth, and it was not a feeling he would wish on anyone, least of all her. Despite Sasuke's attempts to convince her otherwise, she stuck determinedly to her view, and had expressed her desire to 'become someone that was worthy of him'.

Hinata had also decided that her actions were so despicable, that she deserved punishment. She had actually used the word, and Sasuke almost thought she was being funny, until he saw the perfect seriousness in her eyes. She was convinced that she would never be an equal part of the relationship if she did not make it up to him somehow, and was determined to shoulder the blame for his pain.

No matter how hard Sasuke tried to convince her that _he_ had to shoulder part of the blame – he had indeed been the one to assume she was involved with Kiba and had fled without confronting said belief... he was also the one that had not really let her know about the situation with his parents and how it affected him... he, too, was the one that had almost freaking killed her – Hinata refused to back down from her position. She was to be punished.

"Fine," Sasuke said when it became apparent that her ninja-like stubbornness had attacked again, and he would never be able to change her mind. "I'll punish you for your... reprehensible actions." He fought not to smile at her fervent nodding and serious expression. Seriously, she was too cute. Solemn grey eyes stared up at him, and she was almost cringing at the first, yet to be mentioned, and pretty much self inflicted punishment.

"I... I can handle it," she said, visibly fortifying herself.

"More kisses. Now. I am demanding," Sasuke said, trying to keep his face straight. It was almost funny that an several hours ago, he had felt like a lifeless blob wafting through life without joy or feeling, and now, he was desperately struggling to keep a grin from his face and a laugh from his throat. He missed this... this _happiness. _Kami knew he didn't have much of it. Well, spending time with his younger siblings made him happy as well, but it was different. However, Hinata was now scowling at him.

"S-Sasuke-san... that's not a punishment! That is a reward. So... so be serious about this," she pleaded. Sasuke bit his lip. She considered his kisses a reward? That was more pleasing than he let on.

"Fine," he snarled, working to school a more pissed off, serious expression on his face. "You have to call my name without an honorific... in public." Her horrified expression at that level of familiarity was worth it. Sasuke smirked at her. She gulped and blinked at him, a flush heating her cheeks. "Also," Sasuke went on, "You are not allowed to let go of me when we go out together, unless I give you worded permission... and you have to give me public displays of affection at least three times a day."

Her reddening face encouraged him to continue.

"I also demand that you cook for me three times a week... and you have to attend all my stage shows and cheer for me the loudest... and you have to tell me that you love me the most... in public," he said, folding his arms and presenting her with a serious face. "Also, whenever and wherever I deem it worthy to award you with a kiss, _you_ are not allowed to complain." Hinata swallowed then gave him a frightened nod. Sasuke struggled to hide his smile. This punishment plan might prove to be quite advantageous to him.

"O-okay..." she stuttered. Sasuke raised a brow. "S-Sasuke," she said. It amused Sasuke that, several times before when she hadn't been thinking about it, she'd called his name without the honorific, but now that he'd spelled it out, she was freaking out about it.

"Now come. Time for a reward," he said, giving her a small smile. She scuttled over to him and presented her lips to him. Sasuke smiled and reached for her.

* * *

Hinata didn't how she was supposed to handle this overload of affection which _she_ had to instigate. How was she supposed to be bold enough to call Sasuke by his name, while clinging to him and publicly displaying affection... _in public?_ Her face heated almost unbearably at just the thought of it. However, she deserved to be punished, and punished she would be. Also, what if Sasuke decided to kiss her, the way he was so good at, openly and in front of a lot of people? Surely she would die from the embarrassment of it all!

She snuck a glance at Sasuke, not quite believing that he was giving her this chance to redeem herself, to show him that she _would_ be good for something, and not completely useless. After the initial moment when she had explained herself, Sasuke seemed not to doubt her words even once, and had relaxed in her company. It baffled her. Surely he should have been more angry or disappointed in her. Surely such a bad situation could not have been fixed so easily. Surely she should have had to work harder, or beg for his forgiveness some more.

"Sasuke-san..." Hinata muttered. He ignored her, continuing to rifle through a stack of DVDs that were stacked neatly beside the couch. He'd left his phone with Naruto and Sakura, and so was 'all hers' the way he put it.

"Sasuke-kun," she tried again, tugging at the hem of his shirt. He still ignored her. So he was keeping her to her punishment, then. "S-Sasuke," she said, nibbling her lower lip.

"Hmm, Hina-hime?" he responded, turning to face her.

"Why... why did you believe me so fast?" she asked after a short hesitation. "Why did you forgive me so quickly?" He stared at her blankly before rolling his eyes.

"Do I really need to answer that?" he asked, turning back to the DVDs. She tugged at the hem of his shirt again.

"S-Sakkun..." she insisted, blushing as she tried out the nickname. He froze and turned to her, his cheeks suspiciously pink.

"I... I guess deep down, I didn't really believe that you were unfaithful... you don't seem like that type of person to me," he responded after a moment, blinking at her. "And also I think I wanted you back too much to allow this opportunity to pass me by." Both their faces went red at his blatant statement.

"Wh..." she stuttered, slapping her palms to her cheeks and looking at the ceiling.

"My... my therapist... my therapist told me that I should be more honest with myself... and with other people..." Sasuke muttered, focusing on a random spot on the carpet.

"Therapist?" Hinata echoed, her eyes shooting to him. "You have to go to a therapist? Did I... Oh Kami... I will _never_ make up for this! I promise...if it takes years, I will..."

"Hinata..." Sasuke interrupted. He grabbed her face with his hands and forced her to look at him. "I go because of my parents... and because I knew if I didn't find a way to deal with how they left me, I would be a danger to you if I ever got you back," he stated, his dark eyes unwavering and honest. Hinata blinked. "I did it for me... and I think it's working... I feel a lot less confused about the whole thing... Like now I know it's not my entire fault that they left me..."

"It could never be your fault!" Hinata exclaimed, interrupting him with a wide-eyed, almost distressed expression on her face. "You were a child... and most likely a very cute... incredibly adorable one at that... it would be a sin to leave you no matter what!" she cried, grabbing his face in her palms. They were now both holding each other's faces and staring into each other's eyes. Sasuke blinked at Hinata, staring at her until she blushed.

"You think so? That... that I would have been adorable?" Sasuke asked, just wanting to hear her say it again.

"Adorable," Hinata clarified, emphatically nodding her head. It was far too cute to go without reward.

"You shall have a reward," Sasuke said almost emotionlessly, pulling her closer. Hinata almost tried to resist... but then he kissed her and that notion died an untimely death.

* * *

Three weeks later, Hinata was sure Sasuke was out to kill her. Naruto and Sakura were still dubious, still suspicious of her, and Sasuke had told her, quite plainly, that the only way to convince them otherwise, would be... more PDA.

Secretly, Hinata was glad Sasuke was being so publicly affectionate, because the woman featuring in Team 7's new song was beautiful. Konan was the epitome of calm, assured beauty, and Hinata did not miss the way the purple-haired female looked at Sasuke, despite her manager's somewhat obvious feelings for her.

At the moment, Hinata sat with headphones over her ears, listening to Team 7 and Konan record the studio version of their new song, '_Come to Me'._ Sasuke had written the song for a therapy task, and every time she heard it, she felt guilt stab at her. Still, she had to admit the song was hauntingly beautiful, and she knew it would be another big hit.

Team 7 had decided to go through with the idea to have a brand new, totally fresh album, with other artistes featuring in their songs, and they would be meeting with a popular rapper, Kirabi 'Killer Bee', the following afternoon to finalize some details regarding lyrics for one of Sasuke's new songs, '_It's Called Karma'. _Tsunade had thought that since Team 7 songs did so much better sales-wise when they debuted at a stage show, it would be good to have one, and was already inviting other artistes to join. So far, according to Sasuke, none of the acts had been foolish enough to decline.

Team 7 had five new songs, that were taken from their new album, _The Litany_, that would be played at the stage show. A publicity team was already getting the word out. Hinata could not wait; it had been a while since she'd seen Team 7 live, and the band had plans to tour after the first stage show in Konohagakure. This tour she would most definitely join.

Hinata was lost in her thoughts, which was why when Sasuke burst out of the soundproofed recording room, an excited expression on his face, Hinata jumped in surprise.

"Hina-hime," Sasuke said, running over and pulling her into his arms, looking down at her with a suspicious glint in his eyes. "You know how you told me to punish you, right?" he started, eyeing her. Hinata gulped.

"H-hai, Sakkun," she managed, blinking a little. Sasuke's eyes darkened and he rested his forehead against hers.

"Well, I have decided that you have been an exemplary girlfriend-to-be, and you have only one last major test... before I reclaim you as _mine,_" Sasuke murmured, his silky voice twining around Hinata's heart and petting it. She was defenceless when he used that tone, and he knew it.

"Y-yes?" Hinata stuttered, her heart beginning to beat faster. What was he coming with next?

"I was suddenly blindsided with inspiration... I can't stop thinking about this... please, Hina-hime... would you do a duet with me?"

Sasuke had been in the middle of a line, singing the song while internally grousing that he wanted to go back to being Hinata's boyfriend and end this punishment scheme... well... maybe prolong the punishment scheme, because Kami knew that Hinata's kisses and random daily doses of affection were not things he was ready to let go of. Not to mention her cooking... Anyway, he had been thinking about that notion where she wanted him to punish her, and the words to a song had literally marched across his mind... only he could hear her whispery voice accompanying his.

He watched her eyes widen, and then she began to shake her head 'no'. Not wanting to have to squelch the idea, Sasuke knew he had to convince her in any way possible. He bent his head and brushed his lips over hers, teasing her.

"Please?" he whispered, ever so gently licking her lower lip with the tip of his tongue. "It would mean the world to me," he continued huskily, running his lips over the skin at her jaw. He pressed his nose to the shell of her ear and nipped at her earlobe, smirking inwardly at her little shiver. Her little gasping breaths told him she was trying to speak, but was having a hard time of it.

"Do this for me and everything is officially forgiven," Sasuke mumbled, drawing for his most sultry tone. "I'll shower you with affection, in any way you please," he promised. "Dr. Yamanaka will be so very proud of your progress," he added for good measure. He'd been taking Hinata with him to therapy with Dr. Yamanaka, and the therapist had been quite charmed by her. He was, however, concerned with her self-worth issues and shyness, and he and Sasuke had been working on ways to make her a bit more outgoing.

Sasuke ran his fingertips down her arms, whispering dirty little promises and dropping enough kisses to her neck and mouth to thoroughly disconcert her. He pulled away and made intense eye contact with her.

"Please?" he asked again, not opposed to begging her to get his way with this particular thing. Hinata had a much better singing voice than Konan herself, and Sasuke was determined to have her come to terms with that... also, singing with her was exhilarating for him.

Hinata gave a jerky nod, her eyes unfocused, and if Sasuke didn't want her on stage with him so very badly, he would have felt a bit bad for taking advantage of her... but as it was... He smirked.

"Are you ready for your reward?" Sasuke asked huskily. Rewards were his favourite part. She gave another short nod, her eyes darting to his lips. Sasuke ran the tip of his tongue over his lower lip, watching with immense satisfaction as her eyes darkened and a shiver ran through her. Sasuke leaned forward, his eyes widening in surprise as Hinata flung her arms around his neck and yanked him closer.

* * *

The first thing Sasuke noticed about Killer Bee was that the man _talked_ with a natural rapping flow. It was a little uncanny, but it was something Sasuke got used to the more he talked to the man. Killer Bee also had a certain ease with music, and he rapped so easily that it was like a dream to work with the man. Free-style was no problem for Killer Bee, which made writing lyrics for him rather easy.

Team 7 liked the man so much that they asked him to do two songs with them instead of one, choosing _It's Called Karma_ and _Gone Forever._ Recording was a breeze, since Team 7 had already practiced the songs, and in two weeks, they were ready to start preparing for the stage show.

Sasuke pushed open the door to the dressing room where Hinata was currently having a mini-meltdown. Her song with him would be coming right after the first Team 7 song of the evening, which would come right after Konan's _The Fallen Won't Fly_ which was being starting at that very moment.

"Hey," Sasuke said, stalking over to the woman who was almost his girlfriend. He'd tried, over the past two weeks, to move up their new status, but Hinata had clung to the fact that he'd told her she needed to sing with him on stage first. Hinata spun around, almost making Sasuke collapse because her outfit made her look rather... delicious, and ploughed into him.

"Oh, Sasuke, I am freaking out!" she exclaimed unnecessarily. It was hard for Sasuke to concentrate with her curves pressing up against him the way they were. "I am going to be _such_ a failure!" Sasuke patted her head... because her back was mostly bare and he did not really trust himself not to... ahem... right.

"You'll be awesome. The fans are going to love you almost as much as I do," Sasuke said, pressing his lips to her head. "I'm going to have to declare to them all that you are my girlfriend, and therefore _not _available, because I don't want other men even _thinking_ about talking to you, much less touching you," he added fiercely.

"B-but, what if-"

"What if nothing. You will be awesome. I know talent when I see it," Sasuke declared, dropping a kiss to her glossy lips. "But if you need any distractions..." he kissed her again, "... or any encouragement..." he kissed her jaw, his voice dropping to a whispery murmur. "... of if you need me in general," he continued, kissing her neck. Her head fell back. "Feel free to let me know." He pulled away, breathing harshly and took a step back. Okay... Time out.

"O-okay," she muttered, staring up at him, the terror not quite gone from her eyes. She still looked rather hesitant, and her motions were jerky and filled with trepidation.

"Let's go listen to Konan's song," Sasuke said, giving Hinata a small smile and turning to reach for the door. A tug on the hem of his shirt stopped him. He turned.

"S-Sakkun..." Hinata murmured, eyeing him with a rather intense expression on her face. She was irresistible. There was no way Sasuke could deny her anything. Sasuke smiled, and pulled her back for one last kiss.

They had managed to reach backstage moments after the opening notes to _The Fallen Won't Fly_. One last kiss had turned into... ahem... _several _last kisses... and Sasuke had barely managed to pull himself away from her. As it was, he was having a hard time keeping himself from calling off the entire show and taking her home to... he clamped a lid on his wayward thoughts.

Dressed in a sheer smoke-grey Grecian style dress banded at the waist by a simple gold band, Hinata looked like sheer class mixed with sex on a stick. Her full chest looked amazing in the dress, with only a teasing hint of cleavage exposed, and Sasuke had a hard time keeping focused. He almost wished she was in _Come to Me_ instead of Konan, but he would much rather have her in one song than none at all, so she would be singing _Punish Me_ with him.

_Pedal to the medal there are demons running six feet under_

_The chains that bind me, the ropes around me torn asunder_

_(I will fly!)_

Konan sung that line accompanied by the harmonies of ten other people.

_As soon as I get these feet off the ground!_

_A fallen angel like me will never get wings again!_

The drums slammed the intro to the chorus.

_So take me higher, take me higher_

_Get me away from this tortured fire_

_Higher, take me higher!_

_Make me fly!_

The chorus ended on an almost impossibly high note. The backup singers echoed the last three words in perfect harmony.

"She's so good," Hinata breathed, shivering a little in the circle of Sasuke's arms.

"You're better," he assured her as the music started the intro to the second verse. Konan marched confidently across the stage, the crowd roaring its approval.

_The skeletons roar and the demons roar as they swarm around me_

_These spells confine me, the smoke is blinding and I can't see_

_(Let me try!)_

_To be a better girl like you wanted!_

_A fallen angel like me will need to get wings again!_

Hinata was transfixed as the crowd roared when Konan belted into the chorus once again. The songstress's voice went incredibly delicate, but retained its clarity as she moved into the bridge.

_Ripped wings _

_She sadly sings as she falls from the air_

_Torn apart_

_A broken heart..._

_This fallen bird is an angel no more..._

The music was transposed up by one octave as Konan got ready for the finale.

_Take me higher, take me higher_

_Get me away from this tortured fire_

_Higher, please take me higher!_

_Let me fly!_

The backup singers harmonized with Konan once again...

_Let her fly-y... let her fly-y..._

_Let. Her. Fly..._

The song ended with a rush of chimes followed by an eruption from the crowd. Konan smiled and waved, speaking to the crowd and basking in the glory of a well played song. In a matter of short minutes, Team 7, save Sasuke and Hinata, were on stage and working up the crowd.

"We've got something pretty special for you guys," Kakashi was saying, the strobe lights making his already pale hair look pure white. The crowd cheered its approval, but Hinata stiffened in fear.

"Just focus on me," Sasuke said softly in her hair. "It will pass much quicker than you think. Just let go, look at me, and get lost in the music." She nodded against his chin, and then it was time to go out on stage.

Wolf-whistles and catcalls sounded from the crowd as Hinata made her appearance. Her wide solemn eyes made her look strangely innocent, and the contrast with her dress was rather appealing. Sasuke scowled, which caused a chorus of squeals from the females in the crowd.

"Oyasumi," he said simply into the microphone. The crowd lulled its cheers, hanging on his every word. "This song is called _Punish Me_... and it was made with this very woman in mind. Enjoy watching my muse... because I don't think I will show her to you very often," he said, chuckling a little even though he was perfectly serious. The crowd roared a unanimous greeting to Hinata, who managed to give them a small, shy smile.

Sasuke had composed the song to a heavy metal sound, one which would complement Hinata's soft whispery voice because of the contrast. Naruto had yet another complicated bass line, and Kakashi had an equally complicated guitar riff to complement it.

Sakura tapped her drumsticks to start the song off.

Sasuke began after the bass intro, facing Hinata rather than the crowd.

_I thought I could live without you_

_I was right, but yet so wrong_

_I thought it was right to leave you_

_Maybe it was, but it felt so wrong_

A heavy sequence of palm muted notes introduced Hinata's part. Her whispery voice, tremulous because of her nervousness, fit the words perfectly.

_So here I am, I'm asking_

_Here I am, I'm begging_

_Take me back, I plead_

_Here I am, I'm pleading_

_Here I am, I'm begging_

_Take me back, I beg you, take me back_

Sasuke took a step closer to her, encouraging her with his eyes as their voices rose together for the chorus. The heavy music of the song shrouded them in their own little cocoon.

_Punish me, I pray_

_If it'll make you look my way_

_If it'll make me worthy of you_

_Punish me, I swear_

_Hurt me back to make it fair_

_If you have to, if you need to..._

Sasuke roared the very last line on his own,

_Punish me!_

Sasuke took a breath, the pause enough for the entry music for the second verse.

_I thought the world would keep spinning_

_It did, only for me time stood still_

_I thought I could care about ordinary things_

_I was wrong; every ride has lost the thrill_

This time, Hinata's voice was a little stronger, a little more confident, which made her words sound a little more fervent.

_So here I am, I'm asking_

_Here I am, I'm begging_

_Take me back, I plead_

_Here I am, I'm pleading_

_Here I am, I'm begging_

_Take me back, I beg you, take me back_

There was a slight lull in the music, and, like they had practiced, Hinata took a step forward and placed a hand on Sasuke's cheek.

_I'm sorry, forgive me_

Sasuke sung the next line,

_I didn't mean to hurt you_

Hinata sung the next line by herself.

_I'll make it up to you I swear_

Sasuke followed right after her line was completed.

_I'm sorry, forgive me_

Hinata looked into Sasuke's eyes, her grey orbs honest.

_I didn't mean to desert you_

_I'll make it up to you I swear..._

Sasuke took a step back, turning to face the crowd as he roared.

_TAKE ME!_

The guitars began wailing the throbbing heavy pulse of the music. Then, it was time for the music again.

_Punish me, I pray_

_If it'll make you look my way_

_If it'll make me worthy of you_

_Punish me, I swear_

_Hurt me back to make it fair_

_If you have to, if you need to..._

They sang the chorus once more, before Sasuke whisper-groaned into the microphone at the very end of the wailing notes of the guitars.

_Punish me..._

There was the usual beat of pure silence, before the crowd roared. Sasuke had to admit that Hinata had done a remarkable job. Obviously, the crowd thought so too, because over ten thousand voices began roaring for an encore. Hinata's face lit up and she flung her arms around Sasuke, a delighted expression on her face.

"Shall we go again, Sakkun?" she asked, blinking cutely at him. When Sasuke nodded, the crowd gave an almost deafening scream of approval, and Sasuke looped an arm around her waist.

"Who do you love the most?" he asked her teasingly. Hinata's face reddened and she ducked her head. Sasuke gave a grin, a rare treat for the fans.

"I... I love you the most, Sakkun," she obediently replied. The members of the crowd laughed and clapped, cheering her on, and then Sakura was slapping her drumsticks together again for the beginning of the song.

* * *

Hinata had never felt so exhilarated in her life. The rush from performing live with Team 7 was addictive, and somewhere deep inside herself, the Hyuuga knew she would do it again; she had to do it again. Now, Sasuke and the rest of the band was preparing for their song, _Come to Me_ with Konan.

Hinata watched from backstage as Konan stepped back onto the stage, dressed in a flowing black dress, ready to embody 'Depression'. Her fingernails, with little mirrors shaped like false nails, glittered under the strobe lights. Hinata listened, her pride regarding Sasuke almost overflowing as he got the crowd ready for the second duet of the night.

The song started with a bass solo rather than the customary drum tap, and Sasuke moved forward, clasping the microphone with both hands. His numerous wristbands shone under the harsh white light, and a trickle of sweat dripped off his chin. Konan glided to Sasuke's left, her hands resting on his shoulders as she feigned pulling him closer.

_Come to me... Come to me_

She whispered the words, but she might as well have screamed them. The crowd had gone quiet again. That was something that never ceased to amaze Hinata. Team 7's crowd always stayed quiet the debut of a song, as if afraid to miss even one note. There was a short musical interlude, ending with some sharp raps of Sakura's drums, then Sasuke began to sing. His voice rang out in clear notes over the crowd, smooth and longing.

_She stands a few steps away_

_She has a face like mine_

_She's voluptuous and tempting_

_Just like the starless night_

_Arms like smooth alabaster_

_And her silky sweet perfume_

His voice lowered, and the expression on his face was filled with scorn and disgust.

_But her mouth is black with poison_

_And her breath is like a tomb_

Sakura slammed the drums, sweat flashing from her pink hair. Konan sang the next line.

_"Come to me," she said, "Come to me,_

_I can blanket you with numbness._

_I promise you won't feel a thing until tomorrow."_

Sasuke came in for the second half of the chorus

_She extends her arms to me_

_Visage hidden in velvet grey_

_And I'm tempted to give in_

_Come to me._

There was a short musical interlude in which Konan sang a soft, sweet, almost soothingly clear hook.

_Come to me, come to me. Ooh, oooh, ooh. _

_Come to me, come to me. Aaah_

_Come to me, come to me. Ooh, oooh, ooh. _

_Come to me, come to me. Aaah_

The music introduced the second verse, and Sasuke gripped the microphone again. Hinata was silent, gripping the edge of the temporary walls at the edge of the stage.

_Her feet are shrouded in the mist_

_She fades in and out of night_

_Her fingernails are mirrors_

_Her eyes are black and empty_

_She sees me without looking_

_Her tongue is red from lying_

Sasuke's voice lowered again, and he sneered at Konan.

_Her facade is youth and comfort_

_But her skin is old and dying._

The intro to the chorus played again, and Konan began singing again.

_"Come to me," she said, "Come to me,_

_I can blanket you with numbness._

_I promise you won't feel a thing until tomorrow."_

Sasuke sang the second half of the chorus, glancing from the crowd to Konan and back again, as if in the midst of indecision.

_She extends her arms to me_

_Visage hidden in velvet grey_

_And I'm tempted to give in_

_Come to me._

He went immediately into the bridge, running his hands through his hair as the music changed and the drums slapped crazily. He tugged at the black strands in his fist, looking a little demented and tortured.

_Faced with the embodiment of my depression_

_I want to surrender, this is my confession_

_My pain is slow and harsh in its recession_

_I wonder if I should give in to black..._

_OH!_

The chorus played again, once again strangely soothing after Sasuke's tormented cry. After the chorus was sung, Konan began her sweet crooning once more.

_Come to me, come to me. Ooh, oooh, ooh. _

_Come to me, come to me. Aaah_

_Come to me, come to me. Ooh, oooh, ooh. _

_Come to me, come to me. Aaah_

Sasuke's voice, deep with anger and burning hate, sounded again as he pulled the microphone to his lips.

_But her mouth is black with poison_

_And her breath is like a tomb_

_Her facade is youth and comfort_

_But her skin is old and dying_

Konan sang the hook one more time before she began the ending chorus.

_"Come to me," she said, "Come to me,_

_I can blanket you with numbness._

_I promise you won't feel a thing until tomorrow."_

Sasuke pulled the microphone to his lips, stalking back and forth over the stage.

_She extends her arms to me_

_Visage hidden in velvet grey_

_And I'm tempted to give in_

_Come to me._

_And I'm tempted to give in_

_Come to me... yeahh_

The song finished on those final words, backed by a sharp slap from Sakura's drums and a throbbing power-chord. The crowd, already on their feet, began jumping and screaming. Sasuke grinned, and Konan gave a little bow that was not in the least corny – remarkably – and proceeded to walk off the stage.

"These songs are all purchasable on the internet and in stores worldwide," Kakashi said, walking forward and throwing an arm over Sasuke's shoulders. "But now, we will take a short break, and come back with Killer Bee!"

The crowd promptly began chanting Killer Bee's namend clapping.

"Geez, guys. At this rate we'll think you like him more than us!" Naruto complained jovially after snatching the microphone from Kakashi's hands. A rumble of laughter echoed from the crowd. "Anyway... I am parched!" the blonde continued, hooking back up the microphone and lifting his bass guitar from off him.

"Refreshments are in the tents to the east and west of the area, so make an orderly line and the catering team will help you as fast as possible," Kakashi said, giving a little wave and backing away.

Sasuke sighed in relief when he stepped into the air-conditioned trailer. He was immediately attacked by a grey-eyed ball of excitement.

* * *

"Oh Sasuke, that was _awesome!"_ she squealed. "I want to do that again sometime!" Sasuke smiled down at her and ruffled her hair.

"_You _were awesome," Naruto chimed in, stealing the words directly from Sasuke's mouth. The Uchiha turned to scowl at the bassist. "You should become an artist. You sound really good." Hinata flushed and Sasuke scowled. How dare someone else compliment her? He tugged her closer to his chest, wanting to be the sole object of her attention again.

"PDA, now," he demanded flatly. She blinked, blushed, and then began kissing his chin and neck. When Naruto looked away a little uncomfortably, Sasuke smirked and took Hinata's face in his hands.

"I hope you know now, that you are officially my girlfriend again. And there will be no more of this dramatic, breaking up business," he stated, staring down at her before collapsing on a sofa and pulling her down with him.

Twenty minutes later, the trailer was empty except for Sasuke and Hinata, the former passing up greeting fans for spending time with his girlfriend. Sasuke had Hinata straddling his hips and was slowly and carefully kissing her, his tongue stroking hers with expert care. If he were to be honest with himself, Sasuke would gladly pass up another bout of singing for _this_ any day, but when Kakashi poked his head inside the trailer and cleared his throat before saying it was time to go again, Hinata pulled away from Sasuke and ordered him out.

"Go! I want to see you sing again!" she exclaimed, granting him one last kiss before he groaned and followed Kakashi.

* * *

"Wazzup, people?" the dark skinned rapper began. The crowd responded with a deafening cheer.

"Alright," Kakashi called into the microphone. "The long awaited rock-rap song, _Gone Forever!"_

The song started with a fast-paced drum solo, followed by a metal theme that somehow fit both genres. Sasuke stepped forward, bobbing his head to the beat before sucking in a breath and pulling the microphone to his lips.

_They made you_

_CRY!_

Screaming that last word, Sasuke ran the end into the rest of the first verse.

_Not tears of joy but tears of sorrow_

_What they made you is now what you are_

_And what you were is so damn far_

_From what you are now_

_The self you've lost is replaced_

_By the self of dim tomorrow_

_And who you are is not who you were_

_The self you lost is gone and gone forever._

Sasuke bopped his head twice as Sakura tapped the drums sharply as intro for the chorus.

_They made you_

_Admit it_

_They made you_

_Don't you get it?_

_They changed you_

_And who you used to be is not you _

_Anymore_

_You're gone and gone forever_

The bass guitar and the electric guitars wailed and the drums slammed the intro to the second verse.

_They made you_

_SCREAM!_

_Not a shout of love but a shout of hate_

_They changed you into what you are_

_From what you were and what you could be_

_Into what you are and what you will be_

_The self you've lost is replaced_

_By the self of a forgotten fate_

_And who you are is not who you were_

_The self you lost is gone and gone forever_

Killer Bee stepped forward and held his microphone to his lips, as the guitars faded out and only the drums slapped an accompaniment. One arm held over the crowd, he began rapping, the whole crowd moving along with him.

_They made you_

_They changed you_

_They stood by your side_

_Then framed and blamed you_

_You were oblivious_

_'N' they all knew this_

_They twisted and morphed you_

_Into this confused and wicked version of you_

_Tormented (yes)_

_Confused (yes)_

_You've got to suck it up_

_Cuz what do they care?_

_They are the ones who gave you this fear!_

The music reared back into existence, and Sasuke began singing the chorus with angry fervour.

_They made you_

_Admit it_

_They made you_

_Don't you get it?_

_They changed you_

_And who you used to be is not you _

_Anymore_

He moved immediately into the bridge.

_You're gone and gone forever_

_The pieces of you they chip away_

_Fall to the ground and fade away_

_You can't even gather the scraps of your broken heart_

_To mend it_

_The smiles you had are faded_

_Your upright walk, degraded_

_You can't even straighten up your soul to_

_Defend it_

Killer Bee came back in again, rapping before the song ending.

_They made you cry_

_They made you scream_

_They smashed your hope_

_And crushed your dream_

_They changed your ways_

_Screwed up your days_

_Bent you outta shape,_

_Sasuke tell 'em, they..._

There was a pause for one beat before Sasuke came in again.

_They made you_

_RUN!_

_Not a race of choice but a path of fear..._

_They made you _

_HIDE!_

_Not because of a game but because you're scared..._

The music began throbbing again in a short musical interlude, and then came the finale.

_They made you cry_

_Admit it_

_They made you scream_

_Don't you get it?_

_They changed you_

_And who you used to be is not you _

_Anymore_

_You're gone and gone forever_

_The good old you is gone and gone forever_

_You're gone_

_You're gone_

_You're gone_

_You're gone and gone forever._

The music ended all at one with a powerful note. Killer Bee flung a beefy arm around Sasuke's neck as the crowd literally went wild. As Sasuke had predicted when they did the studio recording, the fans screamed for an encore.

* * *

It was in the wee hours of the morning, and the sun was already rising. Still, the crowd was pumped. The artists, on the other hand, were breathing heavily and edging over the rim of exhaustion. Several other rappers and metal artists had played, giving each other a bit of time to rest in between, but still, maintaining the hype was something that took a lot of energy.

"Well guys, one last song before we call it a night!" Kakashi yelled into the microphone, breathing heavily. The crowd half-cheered, half groaned. "And now, _It's Called Karma,_" Kakashi said, his breath whooshing over the microphone. He stepped back, and Killer Bee came forward.

Once again, after the opening musical interlude, Sasuke started the song.

_Too many secrets, too many lies_

_Too many dark and stormy skies_

_Too much hurt caused, too much pain_

_Your lies crash down like acidic rain_

_Right on you, yeah right on you_

_You can't stand the burning, can you?_

He managed to make his voice sound like a cheerful taunt for the chorus.

_It's called Karma, aaah_

_It's called Fate!_

_This is what you deserve for the things you've done_

_It's called Karma, oohooh ooh ooh_

_It's called Fate_

_It's when what goes around, comes back around_

_And kicks you in the face!_

Sakura slapped the drumsticks against the drums, and Kakashi's guitar kicked into overdrive.

_You bent arms and you caused tears_

_You preyed on other people's fears_

_Too much trouble, nothing to gain_

_Have some more of your acidic rain_

_It's our reincarnated tears_

_That you built up through the years_

The music prepared for Killer Bee's rap. He timed the words,

_It's called,_

right before a heavy bass and electric guitar fusion, then added the words,

_Karma motha-sucka,_

following immediately after the heavy sound. The rap continued,

_This is what you deserve_

_You thought you escaped_

_But then got caught in the curve_

_I see you_

_I know you_

_Right now I fricking own you_

_I feed you karma like your motha_

_Eat up bitch_

_Don't puke shit_

_Those who rule by fear_

_Get devoured in it, hear?_

_You've dropped to the lowest levels_

_Nowhere else for you to go_

_When this karma blasts you_

_You gonna get hit like a volcano_

_PYROCLASTIC FLOW_

_It's called!_

Once again, the music rejoined the drums, and Sasuke began singing again.

_It's called Karma, aaah_

_It's called Fate!_

_This is what you deserve for the things you've done_

_It's called Karma, oohooh ooh ooh_

_It's called Fate_

_It's when what goes around, comes back around_

_And kicks you in the face!_

_You didn't see this coming, did you?_

_You got so comfortable_

_You thought you had it, did you?_

_But you didn't, did you?_

Sasuke laughed in a lull in the music.

_It's called Karma, aaah_

_It's called Fate!_

_This is what you deserve for the things you've done_

_It's called Karma, oohooh ooh ooh_

_It's called Fate_

_It's when what goes around, comes back around_

_And kicks you in the face!_

_Oh it kicks you in the face!_

_Kicks you..._

_And it kicks you in the face!_

Sasuke released the microphone from his fingers, and it dropped and rolled loudly on the floor as the song ended in a power chord. As the crowd roared again, Hinata ran from backstage and flung her arms around him... and Sasuke felt truly inspired again. _This_ was what he'd longed for. _This_ was what he'd wanted all along. He needed nothing more... then he looked in the crowd, and spotted his father and younger siblings, all waving madly and grinning like idiots, and it was the icing on the cake.

* * *

Sasuke had his arm over Hinata's shoulder as they walked towards the end of the parking lot where the Team 7 trailer was parked. It had been an awesome night, but now Sasuke's stomach was growling like a wild animal and he felt like he would keel over from exhaustion.

It seemed, however, like the fates had something else in mind when someone stepped from the shadows of the trailer and into the light.

"Hello, onee-chan," a feminine voice said, grey eyes glinting in the early morning sunlight. Beside him, Hinata flinched, and her fingers fisted more tightly in Sasuke's shirt. Hinata staggered before jerking to a stunned halt.

"Hanabi?"

* * *

**... I actually find it a little hard to believe that I just sat down and cranked out over eight thousand words... just overlapping nine thousand at the end of this AN, actually! This chapter is actually 25 pages in Microsoft Office Word! **

**That said, credit to Killer Bee's raps go to my 14 year old rapper brother, Swav Bowss, who took the time to help me out with that – since I am ****_horrible_**** at it – so tons of thanks to my little snuggliwumps (who would kill me if he knew I called him that... hahaha).**

**These are all my songs, created for the story... actually, ****_Punish Me_**** was made as I typed! I hope you liked how I portrayed Hinata in this chapter, and I hope you guys don't hate me too much for not going into detail with Hinata and Sasuke's meltdown reveal all conversation. So, please review, my lovelies, and tell me what you think! Thanks for sticking with me so far, as this story is almost complete! (Cannot believe it!)**

**Sorry for the long AN! **


	24. In Closing - Part 1

_**In Closing – Part 1**_

* * *

**First off, I apologise for the delay! Apart from a serious case of writer's block, I am a Year 13 student with a lot of exam preparations to get done, and I also only have access to a computer for around three nights a week! I hope you like what I came up with here!**

**To the Guest that commented last, thank you for forcing me into getting something written! I honestly wanted to get this chapter up earlier, but had no computer access! Believe me, if I had a computer to use during the day, I would get my stuff up SO much quicker! I apologize for taking a whole month to update, and I wish you had an account so I could address you directly. I guess dedicating this chapter to the Guest who kicked me out of my funk will have to do!**

**Once again, I will say that the songs are all mine... hehe, and I am thrilled you guys like them! Swav Bowss thanks Psuedobeast for the review on the rap, haha. Onwards!**

* * *

Who was Hanabi? Sasuke slid a glance to Hinata, who looked like she'd seen a ghost. Considering her family was dead... and this person looked a lot like her - but obviously not as beautiful - Sasuke could almost understand. He took a step protectively in front of his girlfriend. The teenager before him scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"She's been telling you lies about me, huh?" the dark haired girl said, rolling her eyes. She'd told him nothing about a Hanabi, actually. Sasuke blinked solemnly at her, refusing to answer in case he said the wrong thing. Hinata pushed her way to the front, obviously nervous.

"I... I told him nothing about you," Hinata said softly, her fingers curling in Sasuke's shirt. The air was charged with emotions Sasuke couldn't identify. What the hell was going on? The parking lot was empty except for the Team 7 trailer, soft sunlight lighting the sky, and the air extremely quiet. The girl who called herself Hanabi blinked slowly, then scowled.

"You said _nothing _about me?" Hinata's fingers dug into Sasuke's stomach at the question.

"I said nothing about you." She looked to Sasuke. "Sasuke, this is my sister, Hanabi... the one I told you nothing about... Hanabi... this is my boyfriend, Sasuke." She looked so guilty, obviously barely able to meet his eyes. It came as a surprise to Sasuke... since he could imagine his parents in a different country, not mentioning his existence. The thought made anger curl and boil inside him.

"Pleased to meet you," Sasuke ground out, not bothering to force himself to smile. What reason could someone possibly have to go somewhere and pretend they had no family? Sasuke was so angry; he barely heard what Hanabi said next.

"Oh, I know who he is," Hanabi said, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder and sending Sasuke a sultry smirk. Someone like Kakashi, perhaps, would have fallen for that smirk. Beside him, Hinata flinched.

"Oops," the teenager went on, a smirk on her lips. "Looks like you've managed to mess this one up too, huh, Onee-chan." He barely heard, but he heard, and her tone alone was enough to give him pause. Still, that shouldn't excuse what Hinata did. It surely wouldn't excuse what his parents did. And wasn't Hinata the one that had been getting all righteous and defensive when telling him how wrong it was to leave a family member behind? Had that only been for his benefit? It just went to show that you didn't really know the people you thought you knew. Hinata's nails were digging into his stomach as she clung to him, and Sasuke let her, deciding to watch and see how they interacted. Besides, he had to stand for Hinata, didn't he? Even if he refused to get involved. He'd want her to do the same for him.

"This is why I didn't say anything..." Hinata muttered softly, looking at a random spot on her sister's stomach. She couldn't even look her sister in the eye? Sasuke frowned. "I... You always come and... and push things apart... everything... you push it apart... I didn't want..."

Sasuke had heard enough. He was tired, hungry and pissed-off, and seriously wasn't in the mood for this. Frankly, he was unsure of how much longer he could stand here without storming away and doing something he would regret.

"I apologize, Hyuuga-san," he said crisply, taking Hinata's arm in his hand and starting to move away. "But we are tired after the show. We can do this some other time."

Hinata felt her heart stop and then jump a little. He was defending her? Protecting her, even? She wasn't quite sure if she should believe what she was seeing, but it was hard not to, especially since she was hoping so hard that she could. Hinata let Sasuke pull her away from a shocked Hanabi, wordless even as he pushed her unceremoniously into the Team 7 trailer.

Inside the trailer, Sasuke sat Hinata down across from him, ignoring how the comfortable seats made him long to sleep, and stared at her.

"Talk," he demanded. "Talk before I jump to conclusions and do something else incredibly stupid." Hinata still looked shocked, but she blinked rapidly and began wringing her hands.

"Hanabi... she's my younger sister... who outshines me in every possible way. I used to work at my father's company... and as the eldest; I was supposed to inherit it... until Hanabi. She is just so good at everything from so young... and before he died, Otou-san... well he rewrote his Will, naming her primary heir...so she got almost everything... and then when he died, Neji... my cousin... he took over for Otou-san until Hanabi is old enough... well he fired me..." Hinata's face colored and she brought her hands up to hide it. Sasuke was glad he hadn't blown up at her.

She shifted in the seat, looking away from him and swiping at her eyes when the trailer door swung open and the rest of Team 7 came tumbling inside. Team 7, Itachi and Hanabi. They were all laughing and chattering loudly - apart from Itachi, because he didn't _do_ that-, and Sasuke quickly pulled Hinata across the aisle in the tour bus and onto his lap. He did it for several reasons.

Firstly, even though Hanabi was laughing at something silly Naruto had said, she was giving Sasuke a rather predatory glance. Secondly, Sasuke didn't want Hanabi anywhere near him. Thirdly, Hinata shouldn't be alone, and Sasuke thought she deserved to at least have the others think they were in here making out rather than anything else. Their conversation would have to wait for another time.

* * *

Someone had the bright idea to go out for breakfast. Hinata wanted nothing more than to go to Sasuke's house and curl up with him and him alone, but she had a sinking feeling that that wasn't about to happen anytime soon. She felt the burning need to leave so she could talk to Sasuke in private, because there was a little stiffness to him right now that she knew wasn't only from exhaustion.

"So then Sasuke flings his pen, notebook and a _lamp_ at my head, and I was like, what the hell..." Naruto was saying, regaling Hanabi with a tale of when he was annoying Sasuke with phone calls. Hanabi was laughing, and Hinata probably would be too if she was not in such a foul mood. They were at a takeout restaurant that served breakfast up until a certain point in the day. Sasuke slid in the booth and pulled Hinata back onto his lap, wrapping both arms around her. It was a nice gesture – even though he was clearly mad at her, he was still protecting her. Hinata could feel restlessness building up inside her chest. Coupled with her tiredness, it was not a nice feeling.

"It was your fault, dobe," Sasuke said quietly from over her shoulder. His breath whooshed over Hinata's ear, making her spine tingle. She snuggled closer against the warmth of his chest, taking comfort in his arms around her. "I told you to stop calling me." His chest was warm, but that part of him that only she knew was cold and hard and unyielding. To the outside eye they would look oh so loving, but Hinata knew she was in trouble.

"You know, actually, you didn't... not until _after_ you threw stuff at my head, baka," Naruto accused, feigning a hurt look. Hinata watched, a little amused but largely distracted, as Itachi sat himself right next to Sakura who was trying her damndest to look like she wasn't pleased.

"Shut up, Naruto," Sasuke grumbled good-naturedly. Both Sasuke and Hinata tensed when Hanabi slid into the booth next to Sasuke and pressed herself as close to his arm as she could. To make matters worse, Naruto slid in right next to her, sandwiching Hanabi between himself and Sasuke.

Nibbling her lip a little, Hinata turned a bit in Sasuke's arms so that she was sitting crossways on his lap, with her back to Hanabi. She knew she should attempt to be nice to her sister especially in the light of Sasuke's current attitude, but she just couldn't at the moment. Sasuke was hers, and she was not about to let Hanabi walk all over her.

"Sasu-kun," Hinata found herself whispering in his ear. He bent his neck so he could hear her, angling his head so that their foreheads brushed. "I-I was being terrible earlier... by not telling you about Hanabi... do you think I deserve... punishment?" Sasuke's dark gaze met hers for a moment, and he was just about to say 'no', when a glint in his eyes made Hinata know that he caught her drift. It was a pity that something else made the usually heated light cold and angry.

"Oh yes," he murmured in her ear, his breath making goose-pimples rise on her arms despite her current situation. "Very bad Hinata... I will think of something terrible as your punishment for this." He punctuated his 'threat' by nuzzling her ear and neck. Somehow the act fell a little flat, because Hinata knew he only did it for show.

"Oh, Kami... you guys, get a room," Sakura complained from the other side of the booth. Surprisingly, it was Itachi that responded to her first.

"Sakura... I think they would have, except you made us all come out for breakfast," the Uchiha said simply. Snickers sounded around the table as Sakura turned red and scowled. At least no one was looking close enough to notice the lack of warmth Sasuke was displaying towards her. Could she really blame him, though?

"Itachi-san," Sakura snapped. "Where do you get off on being so familiar?" she ranted, hinting at his lack of honorific. Itachi deadpanned.

"You still think we aren't familiar after we -" His words came out muffled as Sakura clamped her hand over Itachi's mouth. Hinata would have laughed at the two of them - like everyone, including Sasuke, was - but her boyfriend chose that moment to begin tracing circles on her upper thigh, and pressing random kisses on her jaw in between chuckles. If that wasn't enough, Sasuke began sliding his hands further up under her skirt. If that wasn't the embodiment of mixed signals, Hinata did not know what was! She was pretty certain that he was mad at her, but then… was he really? Confusion and largely stilted mental processes prevented her from satisfactorily dissecting the situation.

It was a good thing Hinata was sitting down, because her bones were reduced to jelly. What if someone saw? Deciding she shouldn't have to be the only one being tortured, Hinata hesitantly raked her nails gently over the skin at his collarbones. Sasuke flinched a little. His preference for being scraped was coming in handy right now. He reached up a hand and removed hers from his throat. Oh, so he was back to being cold now, was he? Hinata bit back a sigh.

"Are they always like this?" Hanabi asked Naruto in a low voice... but Hinata heard them. She couldn't stop her self-satisfied little smirk when Sakura responded.

"Always. They're disgusting," the pinkette responded. Beside her, Itachi made a sound in his throat before leaning down to whisper something in Sakura's ear. The pinkette jerked, her eyes widened, and she responded by attempting to punch Itachi. "Damn Uchiha," she muttered sourly as Itachi caught her fist in his hand. Hinata's attention went swinging back to Sasuke... who began shifting restlessly in the booth.

"I really wanna get out of here," he groaned out loud, rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hand. "Guys," he continued, louder. "The waitress is taking forever to get here... so...Hinata and I will be going now... See you guys later," he declared, pushing at Hinata's hips with his hands so he could get out of the booth. Groans sounded around the table. "Naruto, please move so we can leave."

Naruto scrambled from the booth, pulling Hanabi out of the way so they could come out. Hinata was thankful for that, because Hanabi looked as if she would not have moved otherwise.

"Thank you," Sasuke muttered as he led Hinata out of the booth.

"Wait," Hanabi called, grabbing her purse. "I'm coming too."

* * *

Sasuke turned to face the teenager. What the hell was she up to? Right now he was pretty sure Hinata was in the wrong, but that didn't mean he wanted her teeny-bopper sister tagging along either.

"No, you are not. Sorry, but we want to be alone right now," he said, his tone direct and honest. Hanabi blinked, then her eyes darkened with challenge.

"But, I am her sister. I have to stay with her," the teenager continued, placing a hand on her hip.

"Not if she is staying at my house, which she is. No one comes in my house apart from Hinata, Kakashi and my siblings. You are neither. Stay with someone else or go back home," Sasuke snapped, his tiredness making him even more snappy than usual. The eyes of everyone around widened at his poor manners, but Sasuke could not care less. He tugged on Hinata's hand and pulled her from the restaurant. Taking Hinata's side in this was going against everything in him, but he wouldn't fail her… not until they got to talk about it all properly, at least.

* * *

Hinata cringed as Sasuke slammed his car door shut, and wordlessly started the car. Now that they were alone, he was emitting an aura that was as angry as he clearly was, and his stony silence discouraged all conversation. If he was planning to make her feel like a guilty schoolgirl, he had succeeded.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice small as they pulled out of the parking lot. Sasuke didn't respond, or even look at her. He swung the car out into the road and continued to drive. Hinata waited a moment before trying again.

"Sasuke…" His reaction or the lack thereof, remained the same this time around. He overtook a slow-moving car, keeping his gaze pinned to the road ahead. "Sasuke, look at me, please," Hinata tried.

"I'm driving," he snapped, a muscle jumping in his jaw. Oh, he was livid. The air-conditioning in the car, coupled with his frosty attitude made goose-pimples race over her arms… and not the good kind. Uneasy slithered through her empty stomach, making her feel nauseous. Hinata slid and arm across her stomach and fought the burn behind her eyes. She would not cry right now. Hell no.

"Sasuke, please," she said, hating how her voice shook. She bit the inside of her lip when she heard his hiss of annoyance.

"Hinata," he replied, his voice tight and hard. "I'm tired. Just lay off." Not wanting him to see how his words burned, Hinata turned her face to the window and stared at the houses whizzing by. She deserved this, didn't she? She figured this would come back and bite her in the ass, but she had not been able to tell Sasuke about Hanabi before. It wasn't that she didn't trust Sasuke, it was that she didn't trust Hanabi… telling the men in her life about her younger sister had been a mistake every single instance in which she'd done it, so what about this time would be any different?

Hinata felt weariness settle behind her eyelids, and a leaden weight sink in her gut. Would he ever speak to her again? Would he ever trust her again? Want her again?

Hinata blinked as the car pulled to a halt outside Sasuke's house. Both Sasuke and Hinata were tense and surly when the car's engine turned off. Sasuke stepped out of the car without speaking, slamming the door behind him and waiting with ill-disguised impatience for Hinata to come out of the car.

After she came out and closed the door behind her, Sasuke armed and locked the car doors before storming off to open the front door to his house.

Hinata could take no more. If it would take a fight to get all these swirling feelings out and purged, then she would fight. This was ridiculous, and Hinata was certainly not prepared to allow Sasuke to go to bed angry at her, without even trying harder to resolve the matter. She grabbed his arm.

"Sasuke, look at me," she demanded. "Look at me!" He wrenched his arm from her grip and tossed his keys onto the table next to the door. He raked his fingers through his hair before turning round and sighing loudly.

"What now?"

"What do you mean, 'what now'?" Hinata spat, quickly growing tired of his attitude. If he had a problem, he should take her up on it! "You've been slamming doors and storming around when I know you're angry and-"

"You know I'm angry?" Sasuke returned, his dark gaze pinned upon her. A shiver of fear slid through Hinata when she remembered the last time he'd been this angry, and immediately felt like a vice grip was round her throat again. She stepped a safe distance away from him and folded her arms defensively across her chest.

"Of course I am angry, Hinata," he spat. "Of course I am angry!" His arms were at his sides, fists clenched so tightly that his skin paled.

"I know I messed up, alright? I know! It's not like I planned this! I'm sorry!" If anything, Sasuke's face grew darker as she spoke.

"You're sorry? What are you sorry about? Are you sorry for what you did, or sorry I found out?" he snapped, stepping closer to her and glowering darkly. Hinata frowned, and decided that she was going to be honest with him, no matter the cost.

"Both, I guess!" she found herself yelling, throwing her hands up in the air.

"And when were you planning on telling me about her, or were you even planning to?" Sasuke stormed, his voice raising. It was becoming obvious how tired he was, because he was losing control. Sasuke rarely raised his voice.

"I wasn't planning to tell you," Hinata returned, her eyes still blazing. "I wasn't going to ever tell you unless it came up, and you can't judge me without even knowing why!" Sasuke scowled at her and turned his back, walking off towards the room. Oh, he was _not _going to quit on her!

"Don't you walk away from me, Sasuke! Don't you dare!" Hinata shouted following after him. He paused in the passageway, spinning around to face her.

"Don't I dare? I didn't have to stand up for you back there, Hinata. And what reason could you possibly have? Huh? What good reason could you possibly have for pretending a family member didn't exist? She's your sister, Hinata. Your _sister!"_

It was Hinata's turn to scowl.

"And you would know so much about her… how?" she hissed, her eyes blazing. Sasuke glowered.

"I know what it is like to be the one that's passed off as nonexistent, Hinata. I thought more of you than this! I thought you would at least have understood that! It's times like this that would make me…"

"Wonder why you are with me in the first place?" Hinata finished bitterly. When his brow raised in surprise, Hinata continued, laughing mirthlessly. "Oh, I know all about that. After men in my life meet Hanabi, they always seem to think that. But none of you know her. None of you had to grow up with her. It's so hard… it's so hard to grow up in a shadow that is smaller than you are… tight squeeze, you know?" Hinata managed, her voice tight with emotion.

* * *

Sasuke had to take pause at her words. What was she getting at, exactly?

"And now you're stunned," she continued in his silence. "I know I'm an ugly, jealous beast here, and I didn't plan on showing you this side of myself, but it can't really be helped now, can it?" She paced a little in front him. "She brings out the absolute worst in me. The worst, I tell you. And I keep her a secret, because everybody prefers Hanabi. Oh she's beautiful, she's talented, and she's smart and outgoing. Leagues better than Hinata… she's too timid… too plain… not good enough."

"Hinata," Sasuke began. He hadn't actually thought of the actual _reasons_ Hinata might have had, and even though she was still wrong in his eyes, it seemed she had plenty of those.

"No," she said, cutting him off. "You know what, Sasuke? Maybe I was tired of being second best. And you know what else?" she snapped, turning to face him, eyes blazing and cheeks red. Sasuke felt a slither of attraction pool in his gut. Talk about bad timing. Just like at the restaurant; he'd forgotten to be angry and had slipped up.

"You know what else?" she repeated. "I'm not your parents! Hanabi isn't you! So stop pretending that the situations are the same! I don't care how wrong I am, but I'm not Hanabi's parent, so you can't look at the situation the same way!" Sasuke's head jerked backwards at her insinuation.

Had he really been… was he really… oh, shit, he _had _been, hadn't he? Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but Hinata held up a hand and blazed on through, her grey eyes just as pissed-off as his had been.

"I know you were! I'd never abandon my child, Sasuke, but I didn't abandon Hanabi. She wasn't some poor, dependent, seven year old that I left behind for a job! She was my own personal nightmare that I escaped from! She took everything from me, regardless of how much it meant to me, or how little it meant to her. It's all a game to her, Sasuke!

"She... Hanabi grew up being eager to please... she loved the affection Otou-san showed her, and she did everything to please him... after a while, it became a competition, because I was jealous... but she'd always win, and Otou-san would always end up disappointed in me..." Her voice trembled a bit over the words. Sasuke stayed quiet and listened.

"Pretty soon, she just liked the feeling of winning all the time, I guess. She would steal my friends, any guy that paid attention to me... she would ask subtle questions in public that would almost force people to admit that she was better than me, but they never caught on that that was what she was doing, and they tried to be really nice about it... but Hanabi... I didn't tell you about her, because I was scared that you'd want to meet her and follow suit, alright? Happy now? You wouldn't be the first, you know," she snapped, tears making her eyes glossy.

"Hinata," Sasuke began, but Hinata wasn't finished, and Sasuke was having a hard time not grabbing her and kissing her senseless. He had no idea that Hinata had seen her actions as an escape from a kind of hell. Suddenly he couldn't see what she had done as something all that bad. But Sasuke was unsure if it was the fact that he was so tired, or that she was so fired-up, but for some reason, he couldn't stop looking at her. He was finding angry Hinata so damn sexy right now, and it was getting a little harder to concentrate. Still, was it even okay to be considering letting her off the hook just so he could get some? Oh, Kami, he was exhausted. That must be it.

"And another thing is, she doesn't play fair! The things she used to say to me, in front of others… and she teamed up with my older cousin Neji, and they… they have a field day undermining me and slamming me down!" Hinata advanced, and Sasuke could smell her scent as she approached. It must be so sick of him to be turned on by her anger… but he was a sick bastard. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate even on what she was saying. Flushed cheeks and intense eyes looked so good on her… not to mention the fact that that grey dress she had on had opened quite a bit at the chest and… Sasuke was staring without even noticing.

"Sasuke," Hinata called, frowning cutely up at him as she stopped scant inches away from him. "Sasuke! You spaced out in the middle of… Oh. Kami. Why. Do. I. Even. Bother?" she asked, punctuating each word with a pointed jab at his chest with her index finger. Sasuke reached up and grabbed her wrist.

The contact was what did him in. The warm softness of her skin. Or was it her red cheeks… or her heaving chest… or the rapid pulse in her throat… or the way her scent made him forget his anger… or… or maybe he was tired?

One moment he was staring down at her, and the next his lips were crushed to hers. He couldn't help himself. He really couldn't. And he wanted her too much right now to even try to process everything she'd just spouted off at him… too much to try to decide whether or not he agreed with her or not. She pulled away from him.

"Do you see?" He kissed her again, cutting off her words. "If I didn't leave… They would have crushed… crushed my spirit," Hinata gasped in between kisses. Sasuke was now focused on making her forget the argument. Yes, he saw, and he understood… but he wanted her now.

"They would have… would have… would…. Oh, Sasuke," Hinata moaned against his lips as he pushed her backwards. Her back hit the wall and both arms twined around his neck. He kissed her roughly, with the intention of shutting her the hell up… and to find some sort of release, and spared no time thinking about anything as he forced her lips open. He didn't really have to force her, because even though she was kissing him back just as roughly, she was far from resistant. Her lips were soft and full beneath his harder, thinner ones and it was all he could do not to nibble at them like a starved man.

It wasn't that he was starved, per se, it was just that fighting with Hinata took something from him, and he wanted it back… desperately.

The air, previously filled with anger and the sound of their loud voices, was now silent except for Sasuke's harsh pants. His hands slid over her sides and hips, then roughly moved over her stomach and chest before sliding up her neck and fisting in her soft, fragrant hair. Oh Kami, she was so warm and soft against his sinewy body, and Sasuke pressed his chest to hers to hold her against the wall. He could feel the beginnings of a song stirring in his mind, and he shoved it out, because he was way too tired to think about that at that moment!

Evenly matched, neither even bothered to fight for dominance, preferring to give and take at will. When her nails scraped down his back, Sasuke's torso arched a little and a moan escaped his throat. Shivers of pleasure slid from his back right to his gut and knees, weakening them considerably. He leaned fully against her to prevent his knees from wobbling and dragged his open mouth to her throat.

Feeling his hot breath on the skin of her neck, Hinata twisted her head to the side to give him a better angle and sunk her fingers into the hair at his nape. Not even trying to speak coherently, Sasuke rambled something before sucking roughly on her skin. Hinata squeaked, pulling his head closer to her. Sasuke impatiently pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulder to expose more skin to his ministrations.

He began kissing down her shoulders, his lips hot and damp and fervent. A low moan pushed its way up Hinata's throat and she sunk her nails into his scalp and dragged them down the back of his neck. She felt the shiver shudder through him and smirked inwardly at the fact that she was the one that had gotten that reaction out of him.

Neither of them noticed when it began to rain, but the sound further ensconced them in their own little bubble… further separated them from the world outside.

Sasuke bent at the knees slightly so he could kiss across her chest and at the beginning of the softness at the neck of her dress. His hands slid down to her thighs, parting them before sliding round to her rear and lifting her onto him. Hinata coiled her legs round his waist, feeling the hard evidence of his arousal between her legs. She rutted against him, her sharp intake of breath at the feeling complementing his hiss of pleasure at the slight friction.

He moaned her name, lifting his head to make eye contact with her. Said eye contact was brief, because their lips crashed together again. The kiss was a miniature pandemonium of hot breath, damp lips, wet tongues and heated groans. His hands occupied with holding her onto him, Sasuke was reduced to leaning Hinata's back against the wall when she began nibbling at the spot beneath his ear.

Wrapping one arm round her hips, Sasuke slid his other hand up her back and stumbled down the hallway, needing to get to his room before he lost all semblance of control and took her right there in the hall. They crashed into the wall at least three times, and Sasuke bumped into the hall table before finally reaching his room door.

He fumbled unsuccessfully with the doorknob before he finally managed to get it open. The bed was too far, so Sasuke spun round and pushed Hinata back up against the door, closing it with her back. She slid her feet to the floor and her hands up underneath his shirt.

Sasuke's abs twitched at the feeling of her palms sliding over his skin and he began pushing at the straps of her dress again, trying to get the damned thing off her. Not able to keep himself off her for longer than a second, Sasuke attacked her throat with his mouth in between attempts to rid her of her dress.

When it finally fell away from her, Sasuke stepped back, his eyes sliding appreciatively over her.

"Hinata…" he whispered in a wonder filled tone. He forgot what he had been about to say when she reached for him.

* * *

Hinata's eyes struggled to focus as she gradually transitioned from sleep to consciousness. The creak of a door alerted Hinata to the presence of another, and she was treated to the sight of a stark naked Sasuke – apart from the towel draped over his shoulders - exiting the bathroom in a cloud of steam. Oh. My.

He was clearly unaware that she was awake. Hinata watched as he pulled the towel to his hair and ruffled it, water droplets still adorning the rest of his body. She admired his slim physique, tanned skin and dark hair, as well as his rather impressive…

"Like what you see?" Sasuke asked cockily as he applied deodorant to his armpits. Hinata watched his muscles move at the simple motion and nodded her head mutely. He turned, bending to pick up the towel, which had slid from his shoulders. Hinata felt one of her eyebrows raise at the sight of his rear end.

"Are you seriously checking out my ass, Hinata?" Sasuke teased, smirking as he straightened. He didn't bother to towel off, reaching instead for his body spray and generously applying it. The scruff on his chin gave him a rakish appeal when he grinned at her. It was hard to believe that several hours ago, they had been arguing.

"I-It's a nice ass," Hinata defended, blushing uncontrollably. Sasuke chuckled, taking a pair of black boxers from his underwear drawer and stalking over to the bed. Hinata sat up, the simple white sheet draped over her shoulders and eyed him openly. "I suppose I should shower too…" she mumbled, getting to her feet.

"Well after I s…" Sasuke's words vanished as she stood and the sheet fell off her shoulders, exposing her for his perusal. "After I…" he continued absently, obviously not remembering what he'd been trying to say before. As Hinata passed him, Sasuke reached up a hand to scratch his head in a very Naruto-like fashion. "Hey… I think I might need another shower… and a shave…" he muttered, trailing behind her. Hinata laughed.

* * *

**Part two will be up soon, people! I have to go out and I did not want to wait any longer, but I hope I can get it up early tomorrow morning!**


	25. In Closing - Part 2

_**In Closing – Part 2**_

**So here is part 2. Some people –ahem- seemed to be getting a little angry at me, so I decided to post what I already had at least. And for once, there was no cliffie! And here is the second part!**

* * *

Sasuke stared at his reflection in the mirror and tried to quell the rapid beating of his heart. He was never nervous before a show. Never. Well, he used to be, but not like this. So much could change tonight! His kohl-rimmed obsidian eyes stared back at him, and he was thankful that at least he didn't _look _as nervous as he felt. Sasuke absently fingered the jagged rips in his thin grey sleeveless hoodie and nibbled his lip as he eyed the mesh inserts. The chains on his wristbands jangled as he moved his hand.

He should really go and see where how setup was going. He should really go and start psyching up the crowd; he could hear their screams even from here. He needed to see Hinata before he did any of those things. Sasuke bounced his leg nervously before swiping a hand through his hair.

He stood, sucking in a deep breath. What was happening to him? Was it something he ate? He couldn't be sick, could he? Not tonight! Sasuke eyed the door before stalking over towards it. He needed to find Hinata now. He heard her before he even opened the door.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Hinata asked her younger sister, who approached her with a sly smile on her lips.

"I'm here to see the show, obviously, Hinata," the younger Hyuuga female said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And I brought your favorite." Hinata's head jerked back as Hanabi's meaning became clear.

She didn't!

She did.

"Hello, cousin," a smooth tenor said. Hinata's eyes met another pair of the similar shade of grey when a chocolate haired young man stepped from the corner of the corridor outside the dressing rooms.

"Neji-san," Hinata said, bowing her head respectfully. Her heart was in her throat. What was Neji doing here? Obviously Hanabi had told him she'd found her, but why would he come? She could see his condescending stare raking over her from top to bottom.

"Oh how you've fallen, cousin," Neji said, his disdain evident in his voice. "Cavorting with the likes of rockstars. I'm surprised we haven't had to push you into rehab yet, what with all the drugs and liquor you must be taking in these days."

"We aren't taking drugs! Team 7 doesn't condone drug usage," Hinata defended immediately, hating how weak her tone sounded.

"Of course they would not tell you that. How much would _you _know, anyway? You were never the most attentive person," Neji continued. Had they come here for the sole purpose of putting her down?

"And what's with your outfit, Hinata?" Hanabi asked, her upper lip curling slightly in distaste when she scanned Hinata's short black dress. Sasuke had bought it for her not three days before, and Hinata loved it, with all the chains hanging from the left shoulder and the zips zig-zagging across the front, and the one heavy duty zip going all down the back.

"Sasu-kun bought it for me," Hinata said, looking down worriedly at her dress.

"All you need with that are clear platforms," Hanabi said snidely.

"It's a degradation upon our name," Neji concurred, his grey eyes icy with disapproval. "I never thought you would slip this far, but now that I see you, I am not surprised. You were never strong minded enough to stand up to the honor of our surname." Hinata felt the trembles approaching. The way it was, she could hardly get a word in. She couldn't defend herself against them both.

Hinata, worried to the point that she went a bit absent, was numbly conscious of the fact that Neji and Hanabi both were talking on and on about how she was a disappointment and how they were not surprised.

"And you, so proud of your little _Sasu-kun_," Hanabi sneered, stepping closer to Hinata. "Surely you don't think me incapable of taking him from you. I've done it before, and I can do it again." Hinata's eyes widened and she took a step back, and bumped into a solid chest.

"Really now?" Sasuke's soft voice asked over her head. "I think we should put that to the test." Hinata looked up in time to see Sasuke grab Hanabi's chin, jerk her head forward, and kiss her soundly. Her eyes dimmed with pain. It was happening again. All was for naught.

Sasuke pulled back and his lip curled with disgust. He spat crudely on the ground at their feet.

"Not. Good. Enough. You never will be either," he said pointedly, looking down his nose at Hanabi, whose face had gone red from a mixture of shock, rage and attraction. Sasuke wasn't finished.

"I heard you telling her that her place at Hyuuga Technologies was on shaky ground… well it can crumble for all we care. Hinata won't need that position when she can earn much more in Team 7." All three Hyuugas were struck dumb by Sasuke's actions, and Hinata didn't know whether to be pleased or angered or hurt or anything! She was so confused by all her emotions at the current moment!

"I don't like the way you treat my girlfriend," Sasuke declared, his voice low and lethal. "And I highly doubt you will ever gain the IQ to see her for what she truly is, so I am going to have you two blacklisted from the Team 7 hangout spots. We want none of _your kind _crimping our flow." He tugged Hinata against his chest and glowered at them. "Now get out. Hinata and I have a performance to do, and you are no longer welcome here. If you're not out in five minutes," Sasuke said, taking Hinata's hand and pushing past them, "I will have security escort you out."

* * *

Sasuke felt that incredible calm that always overtook him when adrenaline was rushing through his system. He felt great, what with Hinata looking up at him like he had saved her. Her eyes were sparkling with gratitude and affection and Sasuke was conscious of the feeling that his chest was broader than it had been only a few moments ago. He felt great.

"Thank you… for what you did back there," Hinata said softly, leaning up to kiss him gently on the lips. Sasuke deepened the kiss before resting his forehead against hers. "I don't know if I could ever thank you enough."

"Oh, you can," Sasuke chuckled, his breath mingling with hers. "Perform with me tonight for real. Let's do _Angel_… please," he asked, brushing his lips against hers again and wrapping both arms around her.

"I… I'm not sure… I'm not prepared…" Hinata hedged. Sasuke nudged her lips with his again, remembering how this particular method of coercion worked with her.

"Come on… you know the song by heart. We sing it together really well… let's do it. Remember how good you felt being on stage? No one can touch you there," he whispered, kissing her neck gently. He knew it made it harder for her to think; to refuse him. It was probably underhanded of him, but he really did want her on stage. She was his muse, and everything sounded so much better when she inspired it or took part in it. He had his success to prove it, because ever since _Angel _debuted, Team 7 had not had even one week of low sales.

"I… I…" Hinata muttered absently, her eyelids lowering. Sasuke more than wanted this tonight. He needed her on the stage with him.

"Last call! Uchiha Sasuke, Hatake Kakashi, Sai, please get to the stage," one of the stage techs said over the intercom.

"Last call, Hina-hime… please open the show with me. The fans love you." Sasuke made eye contact with her and trailed his fingers over hers. "Please. It would mean the world to me."

"O-okay," Hinata whispered timidly, gazing up at him with trusting eyes.

"I'll take care of you, I promise," Sasuke said, more weight behind the words than if he'd only meant it in the sense of the stage show, and the way her eyes darkened told him she understood… at least, to some extent. "Let's go."

* * *

Sweat drained down the sides of Sasuke's cheeks and neck, but it only added to the hype and the rush that came from performing. The lights overhead were blinding and hot, but they only added to the thrill; complementing the effect of the crowd screaming his name. The pulsing vibe of the crowd at his feet made his blood pump; made him feel more alive than any other aspect of his life did, and he loved it! He gripped the microphone, barely hearing the chains on his wristband and rings jingle as he pulled it closer to his lips.

"Alright everybody, WELCOME!" he shouted into the microphone, a grin on his lips. "I know we said we would start with _World of Heavy Burden _tonight, but we have a very special guest… I'm sure you remember my Muse!" The crowd screamed, flickering lighter flames dotting their expansive numbers.

"Muse, get out here!" Sasuke said into the microphone, not wanting to give out Hinata's name to the masses, and preferring to give her a moniker instead. When Hinata stepped out onto the stage, the crowd screamed it's remembrance of her in a deafening roar. Sasuke grinned. Hyuuga Technologies couldn't give this to her. No one else could.

"Konbanwa, everyone!" Hinata said into her microphone. The crowd's volume increased.

"We thought we might give you a treat tonight, so here is the very first song Muse inspired, _Angel," _Sasuke crowed, and Sakura started the drum tap. Hinata gave him a frightened smile, but Sasuke knew she would be alright once the music started.

The guitars began the wailing intro and Sasuke pulled the microphone to his lips and shut his eyes. The crowd went quiet.

_White dress, red clip, hair like smoke in the wind_

_Your halo makes me wish I hadn't sinned_

_You'll never see me will you, Angel?_

_Will I ever be worthy of you?_

He was aware, even without opening his eyes, of Hinata standing close to him, and she began to harmonize the chorus with him.

_Angel, would you tear your wings off for me?_

_When will I see you again?_

_Angel, would you come down to earth for me?_

_Or will you hide as I count to ten?_

_Angel…_

Sasuke waited for the intro to the second verse to begin before he continued.

_Sweet smile, eyes like the thunderclouds above_

Before he could sing the next line, Hinata did.

_I want to sink myself in your love_

Sasuke turned to look at her, his eyes pleading with her for acceptance, even though she already had accepted him.

_Can you hear me begging, Angel?_

_Will I ever be worthy of you?_

Sakura slapped the drums precisely, and Sasuke and Hinata's voices rose and swelled together once again for the chorus.

_Angel, would you tear your wings off for me?_

_When will I see you again?_

_Angel, would you come down to earth for me?_

_Or will you hide as I count to ten?_

_Angel…_

Hinata sang the sets of numbers with a whispery lilt that made Sasuke's heart race for some unidentifiable reason.

_One, two, three_

Sasuke sang the lines after, reaching forward to gently stroke her glistening cheek.

_You're too high for a mere mortal like me_

_Four, five, six_

_You're like rain with diamonds in the mix_

_Seven, eight, nine_

_Angel, I do so want you to be mine_

_Ten…_

The both sang the last line together, gazing deeply into each other's eyes as they did so.

_When will I see you again?_

Sasuke followed up with a line…

_Angel, would you tear your wings off for me_

Hinata took the next line, her arms open to him.

_So I can catch you_

Sasuke let his eyes travel over her as if he was scared she would disappear from his vision like she used to.

_When will I see you again?_

Hinata groaned her response into the microphone, her eyes cataloguing his face_._

_Oh, I really want to_

Sasuke reached for her hand while he sang,

_Angel, would you come down to earth for me?_

Hinata responded with a soft answer…

_Where I can reach you_

Once again, both their voices harmonized the last two lines of the song.

_Or will you hide as I count to ten?_

_Angel…_

The crowd roared, and even though the fans were all ear-shatteringly loud, it took Sasuke a moment to remember they existed. When Naruto slung an arm over Sasuke's shoulder, it jolted Sasuke out of the spell Hinata had put him into, and he gave the crowd a lopsided grin.

It was time to continue the show.

* * *

"And now, this is one of our latest songs, Forgotten Lies. Enjoy," Kakashi said into the microphone, giving the female fans a wink.

Sasuke began in the silence.

_Creep in at night, leave your shoes by the door_

Kakashi's overdriven guitar did a heavy staccato pulse at 'night'.

_Wash your clothes, get her scent off your shirt_

_Hide, hide those pills he doesn't know you take_

_And bury what you did, for your children's sake_

The guitars wailed, Sakura slapped the drums, and the keyboard backed up, all with Team 7's well known complicated bass line.

_But don't forget to remember_

_That you can't close…_

Sixteen heavy staccato pulses followed the word close.

_You can't close your eyes because…_

Sakura slapped the drums, nodding her head in her drum cage so hard her pink hair flashed wildly as she prepared for the chorus. Naruto and Kakashi were enthusiastically headbanging, sweat flashing from their hair.

_There's! No! Rest for the wicked!_

_Forgotten lies catch up to you._

_Best you keep them in mind_

_And run, keep on running_

_We'll keep the change_

_When you pay the price for your forgotten lies!_

Palm-muted guitars welcomed the second chorus, aided with a hearty slap of the drums and cymbals.

_Make your excuses, hide your secret_

_You take his gift but you can't keep it_

_Honey don't wait up, I'll be late tonight_

_Some things should never ever see the light_

_But don't forget to remember_

_That you can't close…_

Sixteen heavy staccato pulses followed the word 'close'.

_You can't close your eyes because…_

Once again, Team 7 gave the heavy introduction to the chorus.

_There's! No! Rest for the wicked!_

_Forgotten lies catch up to you._

_Best you keep them in mind_

_And run, keep on running_

_We'll keep the change_

When you pay the price for your forgotten lies!

The guitars wailed and screeched and went into overdrive, and the bass line curved expertly around the notes. Sasuke glared into the crowd as he went into the bridge.

_You hide what you can't help and you can't fight_

_You hope he can't see inside your mind_

_And read the thoughts of things that you keep hidden_

_Of things you do that you know are forbidden_

Sasuke's voice raised with accusation as he roared the last line of the bridge to an accompaniment of heavy metal pandemonium from the Team 7 instruments.

_BUT YOU DO THEM ANYWAY!_

A perfectly timed beat from the drums introduced the guitar solo of the song, and another perfectly timed beat reintroduced the chorus.

_But don't forget to remember_

_That you can't close…_

There was the sixteen staccato pulses from Kakashi's guitar.

_You can't close your eyes because…_

_There's! No! Rest for the wicked!_

_Forgotten lies catch up to you._

_Best you keep them in mind_

_And run, keep on running_

_We'll keep the change_

_When you pay the price for your forgotten lies!_

_Pay the price for you forgotten lies!_

The music ended on a power chord that reverberated over the crowd. They erupted in cheers and screams as they usually did when they liked a song.

Team 7 played several more songs, and Hinata had come back out to sing Punish Me with Sasuke. Pretty soon, the band members were winded and soaked with sweat.

"Alright, everyone! The last song of the night!" Kakashi called into the microphone. The crowd booed good-naturedly and the members of the band grinned in response.

"Don't worry! This one is gonna be pretty damned special! We hope it goes over well!" Naruto said, raking a fingerless-gloved hand through his bright blonde hair.

* * *

Hinata was disappointed, to say the least. She wanted tonight to go on forever! She was in the VIP section of the crowd, with front row access to the stage. She was literally at Sasuke's feet.

Hinata watched his dark eyes scan the crowd almost frantically for a moment before they landed on her, and he gave her a small smile. She heard the chains on his wristband jangle as he reached for the microphone.

"This song is dedicated to the woman I love… my Muse," he said after clearing his throat. "And it's called In Closing." He stepped back and swung his guitar from his side to playing position.

The intro to the song was beautiful, soft and accompanied by chimes and isolated drops of bass notes. Sasuke made eye contact with Hinata as he began to sing, and the camera crew turned their focus on her so her face was plastered across the humongous screens set up around the Arena.

_The final countdown, the closing chapter_

_The night before the morning after…_

_That look in your eyes that I can't resist_

_That feeling I get right after we've kissed_

_And I can't survive without them anymore_

_I've loved, but I've never loved like this before!_

The music got more intense as it moved into the tune for the chorus.

_In closing, I don't wanna say goodbye!_

_In closing, I don't even want to try!_

_And, in closing, I don't wanna miss the view!_

_In closing, I can't live… I can't live without you._

The music kicked in fully now, with proper drumming and guitar accompaniment.

_The last resort, the ending song_

_The way you're right, even when you're wrong_

_The way you turn my bones to mush_

_The way you swing that sexy tush_

Sasuke winked saucily at her at that line and then groaned the following line into the microphone with an expression of sweet torture on his face.

_Oh, I can't survive without that anymore_

_You make me feel like I've never loved before_

The music went instrumental then, since Sasuke stopped singing in favor of looking at Hinata tenderly from on the stage. All through the musical interlude, Hinata's heart pounded heavily in her chest as she stared up at the love of her life there on the stage singing to her. She felt to full and so at peace and as if she was in the perfect place at the perfect time and everything was just right. Nothing should change.

Sasuke smiled down at her, the corners of his lips tilting ever so slightly as he grasped the microphone again.

_So, in closing, I don't wanna say goodbye!_

_In closing, I don't even wanna try!_

_And, in closing I don't wanna miss the view!_

_In closing, I can't live… I can't live without you._

The music changed slightly as Sasuke ran right into the bridge.

_In closing, I love ya, I need ya, I want ya_

_Oh! In closing, I feel ya, I breathe ya, I do believe ya_

_In closing! In closing! In closing! In closing, babeh!_

The music was transposed up, and Sasuke's gaze grew intense as he moved into the final chorus.

_In closing, I don't wanna say goodbye!_

_In closing, I don't even wanna try!_

_And, in closing I don't wanna miss the view!_

_In closing, I can't live… I can't live without you._

The music gradually fell back into the softness it had started with, and Sasuke kneeled at the edge of the stage and reached for Hinata's hand. She was so filled with pride and happiness that she could do no more than stand and grasp his hand and smile a cheek-splitting smile back at him.

Her heart felt free and light and she felt like the only woman Sasuke had ever seen or loved. Sasuke's eyes were filled with a kind of open warmth he never showed to anyone and Hinata just had a feeling he was going to tell her, in a song, how much he loved her. She couldn't wait to hear.

_In closing… you're everything I could want you to be_

_In closing, Hinata…_

The music faded away in a rush of chimes, apart from a low keening from Kakashi's guitar. Sasuke finished the last song of the night in the midst of that keening and the leftover sound of the chimes.

_Will you marry me?_

* * *

_**AND FIN! I cannot believe it is FINALLY done! Complete! Kyaaa! I hope you like the chapter! I know plenty of you will hate the ending, but it seemed in keeping with my style, don't ya think? Thank you all for following me up til this point! This story took 6 months from start to finish! I love yall so FREAKING much! Cannot believe I currently have a little over 230 reviews for this atm!**_

_**Well, review my lovelies! And those that followed all along, please review! Let me know what you thought and please do check out my other stuff, particularly Never Turn Your Back!**_

_**Peece!**_


	26. The Epilogue

**The long awaited…!**

**Thought you guys would like to see what I had in mind for Aoi and Akira!**

**The links to their images are on my profile! So, check them out and enjoy the cuteness!**

* * *

Sasuke lifted his chin, allowing Itachi to fix his tie. He could scarcely believe Hinata had said yes, and it was strange that he was this nervous since he and Hinata had been engaged for eleven months. He shifted nervously, earning a not-so-gentle swat from Itachi.

"Keep still," the elder Uchiha grumbled, bending to fix Sasuke's purple tie. Itachi's mood was understandable, because he hadn't seen his love interest in a full month and he needed a Sakura fix in the worst way.

"I can't," Sasuke muttered back, clenching and unclenching his fists. "What if she doesn't turn up? What if she changed her mind? What if she…"

"_Shut UP, Sasuke,"_ Itachi groused, tugging unceremoniously on Sasuke's tie and choking off his younger brother's sentence. "She has more balls than you. She's gonna be here." Sasuke raised a brow, coughing and gasping. He tugged at the tie.

"Too… tight…" he gasped. Itachi smirked and loosened the tie for him.

Sakura's crass way of speaking was rubbing off on Itachi. Sasuke knew if Itachi realized how he'd taken to speaking, he'd be mortified. He almost brought it to his notice, but that would be a little mean, now wouldn't it?

The wedding troupe was staying at one of the most beautiful seaside resorts in Kirigakure, which was about a seven hour plane ride from Konohagakure. Hinata had wanted a beach wedding, and Sasuke had wanted an evening wedding so that he could escape with his bride very soon after the ceremony, so the two wants had gelled together perfectly.

Only the sunset idea was _not _working out for Sasuke, because Sakura insisted that the groom could not see the bride on the day of the wedding, and it had taken _ages _for it to be freaking sunset! Sasuke had paced restlessly almost the entire time, and every time he tried to sneak a call to Hinata, someone blocked him. Before long, Itachi had stolen his phone and hidden it from him.

The ceremony was supposed to take place at five o'clock in the afternoon. It was now four fifteen and it would take a thirty minute drive to get to the section of the beach where the wedding was supposed to take place. Neji, Hanabi, and several more of their friends were already at the venue and were making sure everything ran smoothly.

Surprisingly, Neji and Hanabi had become much closer to Sasuke and Hinata in the eleven months, after she'd stood up to them and they'd come to respect her, even talking about their differences with Dr. Yamanaka and trying to come to some sort of solid ground. Hinata had joined Team 7 fully as a vocalist (and Sasuke's muse), and the fan base had skyrocketed after she'd joined due to the vast amount of her male fans. That was something Sasuke had to struggle to come to terms with. He didn't want anyone else looking at Hinata the way he did.

"There, that looks presentable," Itachi muttered, turning Sasuke around so he could look at himself in the full length mirror. In white tux, pale purple dress shirt, darker purple tie and white pleatless trousers, Sasuke figured he looked a bit like a dandy. He was ridiculously attached to his rocker outfits and this was so completely out of his normal style range. Still, it was what Hinata had wanted, and the look in her eyes when he'd tried it on first made him buy it without question. He'd thought it was completely unfair that she got to see what he was going to wear, and he couldn't get to see her dress… even though he and Naruto had tried their damndest to get a peek.

Now, however, four months after the purchase of the tux, and without Hinata's eyes to reassure him, Sasuke felt a mini freak-out coming on. Seriously, it was becoming a concern that she would laugh at him if she saw him. Would she? It was uncomfortable too. The tie felt like it was cutting off his air supply, and the sleeves of the jacket were… well they were long, and even in the air conditioned room, he felt hot and miserable, and he just wanted to go somewhere with Hinata and keep her away from everyone else and-

"Are you sure she liked this?" he asked in an embarrassingly timid voice, meeting his brother's gaze in the mirror for confirmation. Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Hn," he grunted, an evil thing to do considering it was neither a yea nor a nay.

"Itachi…" Sasuke moaned, his brows furrowing. Itachi rolled his eyes again.

"I said you look presentable," he almost snapped. Sasuke scowled, then his brows rose.

"Woah, Itachi," he said, turning to face his brother. "Are you… are you jealous?" Sasuke asked, toying with the idea in his mind. It was a distraction from his nerves. He shoved a hand into his pocket. Itachi scowled at him.

"Well, you're getting to claim Hinata as yours legally, and I haven't seen Sakura in…" Itachi clenched his jaw and spun on his heel. "I am not in the mood for conversing on this subject," he said stiffly. "It's time to go, anyway." Sasuke struggled to hide a smile before following his brother out of the hotel suite.

They moved to the elevator in silence, both men lost in their thoughts. Sasuke nibbled on his lower lip nervously, as he wavered between wanting to grin like an idiot and wanting to curl up into a ball and bide the day through. Hinata couldn't possibly really want to marry him, right? He just had a sinking feeling that he was going to stand up at that altar – they'd decided on a western style wedding – and she just would not show up. The fear alone was enough to make it difficult for him to breathe. Something was going to go horribly wrong; he could feel it.

"Itachi…" he said cautiously as they reached the lobby. "Where… do you have the ring?" he asked, patting himself down frantically. He wasn't feeling the little box anywhere.

"Otou-san has it. He'll give it to Aoi-kun when Hinata is in front you," Itachi said without looking at Sasuke. Sasuke nibbled on his lower lip and nodded at the back of Itachi's head… for his own benefit. He was getting married today!

Did the car ride to the beach really have to be this long? The longer it took to get there, the more nervous Sasuke got, and Itachi's sour mood – he was going through a Sakura withdrawl – was not helping any at all.

"Itachi…" Sasuke mumbled, bouncing one leg nervously.

"She's going to show up," Itachi snapped, staring resolutely out the window at the passing scenery. Sasuke sighed. She was going to show up… maybe. She wouldn't leave him standing there, would she? He'd probably leave him standing there if he was her. He knew she'd been with him for almost a year, engaged to be married, but this day itself was daunting. They hadn't moved in together, but now they would be, and Sasuke couldn't shake the fear that she would hate living with him.

He was beginning to hyperventilate for the second time that day. Sasuke leaned his head back on the headrest as the beach came into view, and forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. He could do this. She would come. The car pulled to a halt.

Who was he kidding? He was scared as heck that she would not turn up.

Itachi got out before him and ran around to the other side to open the door. A wave of sea breeze, slightly warmer than the air conditioned coolness of the car's interior, hit Sasuke's face as soon as the door opened. He could smell the sea.

"Open your eyes, Otouto," Itachi said, his voice gentle. Open his what now? Sasuke hadn't even realized that he'd squeezed his eyes shut. He opened them, blinking a little, and set one foot out of the car. He took a deep, calming breath when Itachi rested an arm on his shoulder and closed the car door behind him.

The scene before Sasuke made his heart race. Was this actually happening?

The first thing he noticed, were the tea lights. In tall, cylindrical glasses with bleached white sand mixed with dyed purple sand, the tiny tea-lights flickered slightly, the sand causing a pretty glow to emanate from the glasses. The glasses formed a long walkway leading between the two sets of rows of chairs, over a small wooden bridge that went over a trickling tributary that fed into the sea, and up to the steps of a rough-hewn wooden gazebo.

The chairs for the guests were covered in white, purple or pink chair covers and formed seats for the over four hundred guests. Dr. Yamanaka and his wife were present, as well as Sarutobi Hiruzen, his son Sarutobi Asuma and daughter-in-law Kurenai, and Sarutobi's grandson Sarutobi Konohamaru. Hanabi and the rest of the Hyuuga clan were also present, as well as Sabaku no Gaara and his siblings. All of Itachi's platoon and war buddies were in attendance, as well of friends and family of the band members. A fair amount of the guests were also fans that had won invites to the wedding from another Team 7 lottery.

The guests all turned in their chairs to smile encouragingly at Sasuke as he began the walk towards the gazebo, where the priest was waiting. Naruto and Kakashi, dressed to the nines, were already in position on the gazebo steps, as well as an euphoric Yamanaka Ino, whom Hinata had allowed to be a bridesmaid.

It wasn't until Sasuke was halfway up the runner that was laid down in the aisle that he noticed the purple orchids placed in artistic clusters along its length. They looked beautiful and delicate, and he could see why Hinata had chosen them.

Sasuke tugged on his suit discreetly as he crossed the wooden bridge and took his place at the top of the gazebo stairs. The gazebo was romantically lit with tiny lights hidden in its nooks and crannies, and a slightly magical look was pulled off. Sasuke took another deep breath and tried a smile. The guests all grinned back at him, obscenely proud looks on their faces. At least one hundred of them were the unwanted kids that Sasuke had sponsored and after spending time with each and every one of them, he and Hinata had made fast friends with all they had met. Sasuke grinned back at the cheeky faces of some of them and then turned his attention to the end of the runner where Hinata would… should… appear in a few moments.

The sun was already setting, making the tea-lights seem to shine all the more brightly, and it was a good thing that they were in decorative glasses, because the pleasant sea breeze that was blowing picked up slightly. Sasuke's hair, which Hinata had insisted he grow out again, blew slightly in the breeze, tickling Sasuke's exposed cheek. He slowly pushed it out of his face, wishing he'd thought to tie it back like Itachi had.

Now all he had to do was, well, wait for Hinata's limo to arrive.

It seemed to be taking hours, and Sasuke could feel the nervousness, anxiousness and pressing fear that she'd left him at the altar, beginning to rise up within him. Suddenly it was hard to breathe, and Sasuke was beginning to panic. The 'what-if's' swirling in his mind were scaring him, and Sasuke's breathing quickened.

"Calm down," Itachi muttered in Sasuke's ear. "Just take deep breaths. She's coming." Sasuke kept chanting Itachi's words over and over in his head to keep himself calm. It wasn't working, and when the guests began looking around, Sasuke was ready to go and look for her himself. Why was she taking so long? Had she changed her mind?

He was feeling a burn in his throat as fear clawed at him when the white limo pulled up with a low purr. Sasuke refused to breathe until Neji ran around to open the door and a head of dark blue hair could be seen over the car door.

She was here.

Aoi and Akira came out of the car, arm in arm, Akira with a basket of flower petals, and Aoi with a cushion with the ring on top. Akira grinned, knowing that she was currently the centre of attention, and pulled away from Aoi, who was staring solemnly at the guests with wide black eyes.

Hinata had taken very quickly to the twins, especially to Aoi, and they had to her. Sometimes Sasuke found himself actively competing with Aoi for Hinata's attention... especially when Hinata declared that she wanted Aoi to be the ring bearer, and Aoi had stared up at her with such an expression of complete love and had clung to her hip for the entire week after that it seemed.

Akira fairly skipped down the aisle, scattering flower petals in her path as she went along.

Sakura, dressed in a short, pale purple bandage dress that clung to her curves stepped out first, with Hinata's bouquet in hand, and helped the bride from the car.

When she stepped out from behind the car door, Sasuke's breath whooshed from his lungs. She looked amazing!

Her dress was made seemingly entirely of pale cream lace. It was sleeveless and had a sweetheart neckline that dipped low enough for her well-endowed chest to be teasingly displayed. It was too classy for a large amount of cleavage to be exposed, but risqué enough for Sasuke's mind to take him _there. _His heart began to thump harder in his chest and he felt heat crawl up his chest.

Damn, she looked good.

The dress curved smoothly over her breasts, clinging to her slim body like a lace glove and hugging her rounded hips and upper thighs before flaring outward in a wide pale cream skirt of full tulle. The front of the dress was only decorated with a smattering of small pearls at one shoulder and was tailored to be a close fit. It accentuated Hinata's chest area, small waist and perfect hips.

Her hair was piled on top of her head the way he liked and had pearl strings woven among the shiny dark strands. A shimmering pearl and diamond encrusted tiara graced the front of her updo, and a few curled locks of her hair dangled in her face and by her left ear. She was beautiful.

Then she turned to take her bouquet of wide-petaled white orchids from Sakura, and Sasuke's mouth went bone dry.

He saw the back of the dress.

Damn, the girl looked _fine. _

A surge of pride, lust and impatience floored Sasuke when his eyes trailed over the back of the wedding dress. So this was why she hadn't wanted him to see it!

The dress had a high neck at the back from where it had come over her shoulders, and had a small trail of covered buttons going down the centre of her back between her shoulder blades, where they stopped. Where the dress seemed to stop.

The dress was open from there all the way to the small of her back, showing off Hinata's pale, smooth, soft looking skin. Sasuke swallowed. Oh, he was so tempted to touch! The dress restarted right at the small of her back, curving smoothly over her round rear and clinging to the backs of her upper thighs before flaring out in a long tulle train smattered with bits of lace and pearls. Right down the centre of her rear there was a perfect little line of small covered buttons marching down to the beginning of the tulle. Oh, shit, he'd have to undo those one by one later tonight…

Sasuke knew he would be sorely tempted to put hands on that perfect ass as soon as she was close enough, but it probably would be inappropriate, and he didn't want to do anything that might annoy Hinata today.

Her perfect arms, smooth and toned and uncovered by any sleeves, drew Sasuke's notice as well. Before too long, those arms would be curved over her shoulders, holding him as he… Sasuke pulled his mind from that particular road before he got too hot and bothered in front of so many people!

She took the bouquet in her delicate hands… hands which he knew could very well be… argh… there he went again, thinking things he shouldn't! Sasuke couldn't stop the wide smile that pushed its way to his face the moment she looked up and their eyes made contact. His heart was thundering in his chest by now, and he'd never felt any emotion like the one he felt when he watched her walking up the aisle towards him, her hand on Neji's arm as he prepared to give her away.

Sasuke couldn't hold back the grin on his face as Hinata's eyes locked with his as she walked up the aisle toward him. He blinked furiously, abhorring the emotions that threatened to make him cry in public. He was wholly unused to this level of happiness.

Sasuke found it harder to breathe the closer she got to him, but for an altogether different reason than he had before. He had never felt this happy before, and he knew that the moment he heard her say "I do", he'd feel even happier than he did now.

She was glowing. Her full, glossed lips were parted in a smile, showing her straight white teeth and plumping her blushing cheeks. Sasuke smiled back, tenderly and impossibly happily and he felt his eyes sting suspiciously as she came to a stop in front him. The sea breeze wafted her scent over to him and Sasuke felt his knees weaken as the soft, comforting but exciting scent of her enveloped him. He took a deep breath, committing the moment to memory.

"Hey," he whispered as he looked down on her beautiful face as she stood before him.

"Hi," she responded, smiling as she handed off her bouquet to Sakura without even sparing the pinkette a glance. The two of them just breathed for a moment, drinking each other in with their eyes until the priest gave a highly amused chuckle and cleared his throat.

"We are all perfectly aware of your love, young ones," the priest declared in a slightly gravelly voice. The guests, Sasuke and Hinata chuckled at his dry.

Then came Aoi.

Sasuke wanted to scream at how adorable his little brother looked in his white cotton shorts and shirt as he walked solemnly up the aisle with the ring on a purple cushion in his hands. He made it halfway up the aisle before he stumbled, and the ring fell.

Aoi stopped, stared at the ring on the ground, and made such a look of ultimate displeasure that muffled titters sounded among the guests. Sasuke himself was hard-pressed not to chuckle at the expression on his little brother's face. Poor Aoi. When he noticed that everyone was laughing at him, his little face crumpled sadly. He hurriedly picked up the ring and bit his lower lip, very obviously struggling not to cry in front of big brother. Sasuke found it hilarious that no matter what happened with Aoi, no matter where he was, if he was crying, he stopped immediately as Sasuke arrived on the scene.

When Aoi reached with the ring, Hinata reached down an elegant hand and smoothed it over his face. She bent, whispered something in his ear, and a huge grin spread over Aoi's face. Noticing that everyone was looking at him, he quickly schooled his features, but the extremely pleased expression on his face did not budge. Hinata hid her smile behind her hand and turned to the chuckling priest.

What had she said to his little brother?

The priest gave a suspicious sounding cough before he started the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to…" Sasuke didn't really hear much more than that, because Hinata gave him _the look. _Yes, that very look that promised that she had something planned for him later. Sasuke felt heat pool in his gut. He raised a brow, having a silent conversation with her. One of her perfectly plucked brows rose and fell in a movement so quick Sasuke wondered if he'd even seen it. And then she smiled. That cheeky smile… oh Kami, he could not wait until they had a moment alone!

And then he heard his name.

"… Uchiha Sora Sasuke take this woman, Hyuuga Yuki Hinata to be your lawful wedded wife in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for better and for worse til death do you p-?"

"I do," Sasuke responded without pause. In fact, the poor priest had not even finished speaking. The guests chuckled, and several rather loud 'aww's floated up from the females, joined with hoots and catcalls from Itachi's rowdy war buddies. Sasuke's cheeks reddened and he gave a sheepish grin and ducked his head shyly. They were never going to let him live this down, were they?

"And do you, Hyuuga Yuki Hinata take this man, Uchiha Sora Sasuke to be your law fully wedded husband in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for better or for worsetildeathdoyoupart?" the priest asked, rushing the last six words just in case Hinata decided to cut him off. The fact that he did so with a straight face and a flat voice made the guests erupt into barely muffled giggles and titters. Sasuke's face heated even more at the implications.

"I do," Hinata giggled, staring up at Sasuke with those perfect grey eyes of hers. She was fully focused on him right now, and the feeling was exhilarating! At her declaration, Sasuke felt like his chest would burst from the happiness of it all.

"Please, present the rings," the priest said with a smile. Sasuke looked down to Aoi, who looked immensely proud at being the one to give the ring to his big brother, but he sent Sasuke a small jealous scowl. Sasuke gave him a small scowl back, remembering clearly the moment that Aoi had asked Hinata if she would marry him instead. Sasuke refused to give her up, even to his little brother, and Aoi had never really forgiven him for it.

Sasuke took the ring and Hinata's hand, and slid the ring onto her finger. The ring was comprised of two white gold bands. The first band was a simple band, encrusted with small diamonds going round it and a small dip where the larger diamond from the second band would fit. The only differences between the first and second band were that the second band had a larger diamond at the top, and the first band had a dip to hold it so the two rings fit together. The bands glittered in the gazebo's lights. The inside of the bands were inscribed '_Hinata, my beloved muse.'_

Hinata put Sasuke's ring on his finger; a simple thick titanium band with two grooves near the outer rims of the bands. The ring was cold but Sasuke knew it would soon take on the heat of his hand. Besides, as a rockstar, he was used to wearing rings. He'd taken them all off today though.

"By the power vested in me by the state of Kirigakure, I now pronounce you husband and wife." After saying this, the priest gave a long pause, which was filled with silence and the sound of the sea.

Sasuke wanted to kiss Hinata already! Where was the 'you may now kiss the bride' statement? Sasuke waited, but the priest said nothing. The more astute of guests were beginning to fold their lips to mask their growing grins at the priest's antics. Sasuke turned and glowered at the priest.

"Is it time to kiss the bride yet?" Sasuke hissed impatiently. The priest raised his brows, squelched a smile and nodded.

"Yes, yes… time to kiss the-" Sasuke was already kissing Hinata. "-to kiss the bride… but you are already doing that, aren't you?" the priest finished a little uselessly. Sasuke didn't hear him, or the laughter and cheers from the crowd.

All he felt, all he was surrounded by, was Hinata. Her lips were soft and moist and she tasted like mint gum. Her mouth was wet and warm, and Sasuke's heart was pumping so hard his ribcage felt a bit rattled. Pulling her securely against him, Sasuke tilted his head for a better angle and slid one hand to the exposed skin at her back while the other hand grasped her hip.

Hinata's hands slid over his shoulders, holding him closer. Their surroundings faded from Sasuke's mind, and all he could think about was Hinata, and that she was finally legally and emotionally his.

A not so discreet tap on Sasuke's shoulder had him pulling away reluctantly from Hinata.

"Maybe you should save some of that for a more private occasion, Otouto," Itachi said, his amusement showing in his dark eyes. Sasuke's and Hinata's faces went dark red from embarrassment, but Sasuke quickly recovered, grinning widely and laughing.

"When you get married, I'll remind you of that very thing," Sasuke chuckled in return. It was Itachi's turn to flush guiltily.

Sasuke took Hinata's hand in his, and the two made their way down the aisle. Not to be forgotten, Aoi ran up to Hinata's other side and reached for her hand with his much smaller one. She gave him a smile and he blinked solemnly up at her, his childish love in his eyes. Sasuke sent him a triumphant smirk behind Hinata's back, and Aoi scowled at him in response.

* * *

When the door to the limo closed behind them, Sasuke didn't even give Hinata a moment to breathe before he was pulling her into his arms. He'd barely taken the time to notice that the screen between the chauffer and the back of the car was up and that was all that mattered.

"Kami, I want you," he rasped against her cheeks before his lips smashed against hers. "Can we please skip the rest of the night?" he continued when he came up for breath. Hinata chuckled against his lips and pulled him closer to her, turning in the seat so he was easier to reach.

Growling a little in his chest, Sasuke pulled her up to sit sideways on his lap and wrapped both arms around her. Hinata kissed him back without speaking, sending the silent message that she didn't want to waste any of the time that the car would take to get to the wedding dinner. She gave a soft whimper when Sasuke's fingertips brushed the skin at the neckline of her dress, his fingers slipping ever so slightly under the material.

"I'm serious, you know," Sasuke muttered before dipping his head to brush his lips against her neck and ear. "I just want to go back to the hotel room right now," he gasped harshly, his hand going round to smooth over her exposed back.

"Mmmm," Hinata mumbled, her neck arching so he could have better access. Sasuke's tongue flicked out to taste her skin, which smelled like the gourmet chocolate shower milk he'd bought her.

"I just want to peel this dress off you," he whispered in her ear, delighting in the little sound that escaped her throat at his words.

"W-we have to wait until… until a-after the m-meal," she stuttered between gasped breaths. Sasuke's lungs were working overtime, at the speed his breathing was going at.

"We could skip it," Sasuke groaned, drawing random little lines over her exposed back with one hand, and smoothing her thigh with the other. He could feel the warmth of her body through the delicate material of the dress, and if he could take the thing off her right now, he'd have his way with her right there in the car.

"We can't," she groaned in response, shifting restlessly in his arms. Sasuke moaned.

"Hi-Hinata, you can't move like that while you're on my lap…"

"G-Gomen," she whispered back, taking his face in her hands and kissing him.

"Mrs. Uchiha Hinata," Sasuke said with a pleased expression on his face. He growled softly and pressed his face to her throat. "Kami, I love you."

"I love you more," she whispered, pressing her face to his neck.

"I love you most," Sasuke returned. "I would love you even more if you'd chosen a dress that would allow you to straddle me, because-" Hinata laughed at him and pressed her mouth to his before he could finish his sentence.

"We're almost at the hotel," she breathed a few minutes later when they had pulled away after a steamy kiss.

"Already?" Sasuke gasped, not even bothering to hide his disappointment. "I-I thought we might have some more time…" he muttered as the car pulled up in front of the hotel doors. "Damn it," he muttered, straightening his tux while Hinata tumbled off his lap and tucked at her hair.

The valet opened the door, and Hinata gave Sasuke a cheeky grin before she slid out of the car. Sasuke followed right behind her, sliding an arm around her as soon as they were both out. The valet uttered his congratulations before locking the car door, and the chauffer drove off.

Outside the hotel doors, the bridal party had gathered to welcome the bride and groom.

"We know that if you two go to change your clothes, you won't come back out, so we're going straight to dinner now," Inuzuka Kiba said with a wide teasing grin. Sasuke scowled at him.

"We're not really hungry," he said.

"_Sasuke,"_ Hinata chided with a short laugh, elbowing him gently in the side.

"Oww," Sasuke complained, although it didn't really hurt. "There's only one thing I'm hungry for and it's-"

"Let's just go in, shall we?" Hinata interrupted, her face flaming as the rest of the guest chuckled. Sasuke gave them a small chuckle before he led her inside the hotel and to the dining area which was already artfully decorated with the wedding colours and themes.

"Argh, let's get this over with," Sasuke muttered impatiently in Hinata's ear as they entered the dining area to the loud cheers and congratulations of the guests. Hinata elbowed him again, but giggled a little.

* * *

Sasuke was more impatient now than he could ever remember, and he blamed Hinata. If she hadn't worn such a damn sexy wedding dress, he probably wouldn't feel so… keyed up, but as it was, he could barely sit still.

To make matters worse, the dinner was only about an hour in progress, and the toasts and dancing had not occurred yet. Leaning closer to Hinata, Sasuke discreetly whispered in her ear.

"I think I might need to use the bathroom… what about you?" Hinata slid her eyes in his direction at the question.

"I… I think that might be necessary," she whispered back, a small smile on her lips. Sasuke grinned and got up.

"Going to use the restroom," he said, knowing that everyone there would already guess at what he meant anyway. He just wanted to ensure that no one followed them there. Hinata got up soon after he did, her face flaming.

"I-I may need to refresh my makeup," she said softly, ignoring Naruto and Kakashi's knowing snickers.

"Take your time," Kakashi drawled, his eyes seeking out Mitarashi Anko, who was also in attendance. He sent a wink in her direction, and was immediately rewarded with a dark smile from the woman. Sasuke noticed that Itachi looked rather relieved at the woman's action.

The moment Sasuke and Hinata were alone, they were in each other's arms again. They barely made it to the restroom before Sasuke had her pushed up against the door and began kissing her for all he was worth. His tongue slipped between her lips, exploring the moist cavern of her mouth and his hands cupped her rear and squeezed gently.

* * *

Hinata gasped, pushing up against him so their bodies were pressed together intimately and the sounds of harsh breaths and whispered words filled the restroom.

She was burning up. Sasuke's desire was infectious and now she wanted nothing more than to rip his clothing off him and give him pleasure. But they had to go back. Before they went so far they _couldn't_ go back! She pulled her lips away from his and tried to suck in a breath.

"Sasuke," she gasped, moaning lightly when his mouth immediately made a hot wet trail to her ear.

"I'm going to have you screaming my name by the end of tonight," Sasuke promised raspily. Hinata's heart pounded at his words, because she knew he was fully capable of fulfilling them.

"How do you know _I_ won't have _you _screaming _my _name tonight?" she whispered back, raking her nails through his hair. Sasuke jerked to a halt, his head snapping back to stare into her heated grey eyes with wide, surprised black ones.

"Wh… Can we leave now?" he fairly begged, his eyes darkening. Hinata chuckled, moving away from him and going to the mirror to compose herself.

"If they aren't done in two more hours, let's sneak out," she said, giving him a cheeky grin.

"Fine," Sasuke groused as she opened the door to go back outside. "By the way, I don't scream," he continued, holding the door open so he could pass through it behind her.

"You might," Hinata returned. "And you might beg, too… and mumble incoherent, random, meaningless words," she threatened, a sexy little vibe rolling off her in waves.

"Two hours?" Sasuke asked in response, but his eyes were challenging hers. She stared him down, her eyes promising that she would take him on later.

"Two hours."

Two hours more, and then he would have her for the rest of his life.

* * *

**If I didn't stop here, I would have to change this thing to a rating of M, and I didn't wanna do that. Hope you liked this! It wasn't my best work, but I wanted this thing to just be complete already! Haha thank you so very much for staying with me and for liking this fanfic!**

**To all those that followed and faved this fanfic, now would be a nice time to leave a parting review to let me know what you thought … ahem… (^_^)…**

**Hinata's ring: image link on my profile!**

**I suck at weddings, so please bear with me. Someone asked for this, so blame them! Hahaha me love you guys!**

**Review!**


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